New uranium leak in France

planet ark ^ | July 21, 2008 | planet ark

[Flavius]

French nuclear firm Areva has found a uranium leak at a factory in southeastern France, but there is no danger to the environment, the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) said on Friday.

The news came a day after the government ordered safety tests at all the country's 19 nuclear power plants following another leak at an Areva facility earlier this month.

However, Energy and Environment Minister Jean-Louis Borloo moved to reassure the public over the latest incident.

"We mustn't over-exaggerate," he told reporters, saying there were 115 such "little anomalies" in France's nuclear industry each year. "This is something which poses no environmental or health risk," he said.

[gridlock]

The US produces 4.1 Trillion kWh per year, 820 Billion of which are generated by nukes. France produces 544 Billion kWh per year, 435 Billion of which are generated by nukes.

So the United States has roughly twice the nuclear generating capacity of France, even though nukes account for a much larger percentage of the smaller French pie.

Just as a point of reference...

[Steely Tom]

Thanks for that info, gridlock.

That’s amazing.