Posted on 06/26/2022 6:05:36 AM PDT by cockroach_magoo
France has long been one of the world’s greatest champions of nuclear energy. France leads the European Union in nuclear production, with the most productive reactors in the bloc, and relies on nuclear power for a larger share of its energy mix than any other country in the world. It makes sense that France should lead the charge for nuclear energy development as they have long been the global poster child for safe and reliable nuclear energy – until now.
A recent flurry of unexpected issues at the Électricité de France (EDF), the state nuclear power operator representing the largest nuclear fleet in Europe, has caused French nuclear energy output to tumble to its lowest levels in 30 years. Around half of the EDF’s massive nuclear fleet has been taken offline, delivering a massive blow to the EU’s energy independence and security in the midst of a worldwide energy crisis.
[...]
Until now, France has been relatively sheltered from the energy crisis squeezing its neighbors. But now the nuclear-reliant nation suddenly finds itself in the same boat as other energy-strapped European nations thanks to a “series of maintenance issues including corrosion at some of France’s ageing reactors, troubles at state-controlled energy group EDF and a years-long absence of significant new nuclear investment,” according to reporting from the Financial Times. The issues of corrosion, which are currently to blame for 12 of France’s 56 offline reactors, could take years to fix. Meanwhile, inflation is soaring and French electric bills have hit record highs.
[...]
(Excerpt) Read more at oilprice.com ...
Hopefully this won't lead to widespread misery this winter, but it almost certainly will. At least the colossal failure of clueless central planners was well-intentioned.
What convenient timing...
“Wars, and rumors of war.”
Don’t worry, Macron got this! /scar
In the 50s, the NewkYouLeer promise was unmetered electricity.
Sounded so good.
The EU is nothing but One Big Incompetent Government
Nuclear Energy is like everything else—it requires ongoing maintenance which requires a competence level in large institutions.
If the West continues its decline into Green madness and Wokism and anti-white racism for several decades the nuclear plants will become abandoned and dangerous wastelands.
The KGB and its successor foreign intelligence agency SVR funded and funds environmental wacko groups and other leftists who hate energy independence. Those efforts are now bearing fruit for Russia.
Interesting, if accurate. Just recently there was an article about the expansion of nuclear energy (electricity) plants. France plans to build many more.
Think of where we would be if all the global warming funds had been spent on REAL PROBLEMS.
So cheap, they wouldn’t bother metering it...
The reactor design that the world uses was chosen because it was good for producing bomb materials.
The other side of the problem is the massive regulations involving nuclear power. The government regulators make and enforce every bad decision.
That also means no Elon Musk type can ever come along to change anything.
Central planning never has and never will work.
> The EU is nothing but One Big Incompetent Government <
The EU also has a fascist tinge to it. Regulators in Brussels have the power to dictate policy for entire sovereign states. Back when Britain was in the EU, some guy in Brussels decided to regulate tea pots. You were forbidden to sell a tea pot unless it met the EU guidelines.
Maybe that’s one reason Britain made the sensible decision to leave the EU.
France, which is the size of Texas, has 56 nuclear reactors. There are only 92 nuclear reactors in the entire U.S. This illustrates how far the U.S. is behind in the nuclear power industry.
Energy is the road to wealth.
Nations that purposely (for whatever reason) decide to experiment with their energy needs deserve what they get (and that includes the US).
Man made climate change is a scam. National leaders around the world are making their citizens suffer so a few elites can pocket more money.
> Think of where we would be if all the global warming funds had been spent on REAL PROBLEMS. <
That is a very important point! The Greenies act like the money for green energy comes out of nowhere. But it’s a true zero-sum game. Every dollar they spend is one less dollar available to fix bridges, upgrade VA hospitals, etc.
We should be having a vigorous and ongoing debate on this matter. But all debate is forbidden! Climate Change is “settled science” we are told, and doubters must be silenced.
This was exactly the way science was done during the Dark Ages. Accept the official viewpoint, or be punished. The Renaissance changed all that. Well, back to the Dark Ages we go!
The North Africans that inherit France will in the future refer to them as "Forbidden Zones" and erect fences of scarecrows to keep people away.
“ Energy is the road to wealth.
Nations that purposely (for whatever reason) decide to experiment with their energy needs deserve what they get (and that includes the US).
Man made climate change is a scam. National leaders around the world are making their citizens suffer so a few elites can pocket more money”
True that. Also, moving from a denser form of energy to one that is less dense defies logic, and can only be explained by a worldwide conspiracy to subjugate the world’s population to one world government.
To address it, they need to heed the advise of our genius Buttigieg and all get electric cars!
Oh sorry!
The Eurolemmings are sending themselves over a cliff.
The EU has centralized control and economic planning. What could go wrong??! I have another name for it...
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