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France to Build Six New Nuclear Reactors

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Re: France to Build Six New Nuclear Reactors

#21

Post by kergonath »

socialdemocrat wrote: post #7

I am skeptical to current nuclear power, would have liked Molten Salt Reactors instead. However I see leaders having to do something. Environmentalists are blocking construction of more wind power, and crisis with Russia makes gas less accessible. France has a relatively good track record on nuclear power. They may pull this off. 2035 is a really long time to wait for new power to the grid though.

They will keep adding renewable sources in the meantime, it’s not like they’ll be sitting on their hands.

Re: France to Build Six New Nuclear Reactors

#22

Post by onlyrealcuzzo »

HideousKojima wrote: post #10
socialdemocrat wrote: post #7

I am skeptical to current nuclear power, would have liked Molten Salt Reactors instead. However I see leaders having to do something. Environmentalists are blocking construction of more wind power, and crisis with Russia makes gas less accessible. France has a relatively good track record on nuclear power. They may pull this off. 2035 is a really long time to wait for new power to the grid though.

>Environmentalists are blocking construction of more wind power Environmentalists really are their own worst enemies. When I was in high school near San Diego about 15 years ago, there was a huge amount of opposition to a solar power project. From environmentalists. There was a solar power plant out in Imperial County and the environmentalists were protesting the high voltage lines that would bring the power into San…

> Environmentalists really are their own worst enemies.

Doesn't almost everyone see themselves as an environmentalist these days? The problem is - the average "environmentalist" is not trying to maximize for anything.

It's a broad bucket that almost everyone is falling into and there's almost zero common ground, no organization, etc.

Of course there are going to be people that oppose almost everything that label themselves as "environmentalists". There's always people that oppose everything! And most people consider themselves "environmentalists".

Re: France to Build Six New Nuclear Reactors

#23

Post by kergonath »

boringg wrote: post #8

Is this that surprising given that the largest Nuclear power company (Areva) is based in France and was owned by the state?

It’s not Areva anymore. It’s been split into (mostly) Orano, Technicatome, and Framatome.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Areva

Re: France to Build Six New Nuclear Reactors

#24

Post by axiosgunnar »

tomdell wrote: post #12

I advise anyone not in the know to look into France's historical control of uranium mining in Niger. France's nuclear industry has long been fueled by a highly unequal neocolonial relationship with their former colony.

Well, either you have a job-providing trade-inducing environmental-friendly choice or you have a choice that allows you to virtue signal.

I know which one I‘d choose.

Re: France to Build Six New Nuclear Reactors

#25

Post by megaman821 »

This will provide a nice data-point for those who argue nuclear makes more financial sense over wind/solar/battery, but some anti-nuclear cabal is stopping their construction.

Maybe they are right and France will make lots of money selling energy to its neighbors, or they are wrong, and France will be stuck with some of the highest energy prices in the euro region.

Re: France to Build Six New Nuclear Reactors

#26

Post by kergonath »

jessriedel wrote: post #11
boringg wrote: post #8

Is this that surprising given that the largest Nuclear power company (Areva) is based in France and was owned by the state?

Yes. It's not surprising that the largest nuclear power company is based in France because France has the largest share of power from nuclear of any country (>70%). However, like most Western countries, France's nuclear reactor building has largely stalled and they have been coasting on past accomplishments. If they succeed at building more reactors, it will be unusual (and imo good).

Areva also had a terrible track record in terms of project management. We’ll see if their successors are better.

Re: France to Build Six New Nuclear Reactors

#27

Post by 908B64B197 »

HideousKojima wrote: post #10
socialdemocrat wrote: post #7

I am skeptical to current nuclear power, would have liked Molten Salt Reactors instead. However I see leaders having to do something. Environmentalists are blocking construction of more wind power, and crisis with Russia makes gas less accessible. France has a relatively good track record on nuclear power. They may pull this off. 2035 is a really long time to wait for new power to the grid though.

>Environmentalists are blocking construction of more wind power Environmentalists really are their own worst enemies. When I was in high school near San Diego about 15 years ago, there was a huge amount of opposition to a solar power project. From environmentalists. There was a solar power plant out in Imperial County and the environmentalists were protesting the high voltage lines that would bring the power into San…

I sometimes wonder if oil and gas companies even need lobbying: Environmentalists are the number one threat to any green initiative.

If they could all agree on one thing just for once.

Re: France to Build Six New Nuclear Reactors

#28

Post by pyronik19 »

chrisseaton wrote: post #19
Teknoman117 wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's an absolutely crazy proposition because there are very few people who would choose to reduce their quality of life. It's far easier to switch to net-zero energy sources than it is to completely redefine society.

Some people think it's worth redefining society to protect the environment. I wouldn't agree with that absolutely either, but it's a logical and defensible position. It's not incoherent.

The problem is there position is completely irrational when you take the amount of damage down to standards of living to the negligible environmental damage done from PV panels. It's almost like the goal is to maximize human misery not minimize environmental damage.

Re: France to Build Six New Nuclear Reactors

#29

Post by vkou »

tomdell wrote: post #12

I advise anyone not in the know to look into France's historical control of uranium mining in Niger. France's nuclear industry has long been fueled by a highly unequal neocolonial relationship with their former colony.

I suppose they could burn Russian natgas instead, or burn bunker fuel to ship wood pellets from Canada...

Re: France to Build Six New Nuclear Reactors

#30

Post by clarus »

tomdell wrote: post #12

I advise anyone not in the know to look into France's historical control of uranium mining in Niger. France's nuclear industry has long been fueled by a highly unequal neocolonial relationship with their former colony.

I do not think uranium is that expensive, compared to the price of a nuclear reactor itself or other energy sources. I advise to look at wars actually occurring for the control of oil and gas (see country like the US).
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