France’s “Atomic Napoleon”, President Emmanuel Macron, wants to upgrade the Grande Nation to a nuclear power. Half of the reactors at the Civaux Risse nuclear power plant are still being repaired.
France wants to start building new nuclear power plants as early as 2024. Namely in Penly on the English Channel. But this is just the beginning of a grand nuclear strategic plan by which President Emmanuel Macron, undeterred by all the existing problems in the energy sector, wants to upgrade to a nuclear power. In total, a maximum of 14 new pressurized water reactors will be built from the ground. The plan is to connect it to the grid between 2035 and 2037.
But given the disaster surrounding the identical reactor in Flamanville, that seems impossible. It was originally supposed to be buzzing this year and cost 3.3 billion – in fact it will probably be 19 billion. And after commissioning at the end of 2023, the reactor must be shut down again a year later. Then the reactor lid must be replaced. Because the steel used shows deviations.
Nearly half are still under repair
At the Civaux nuclear power plant, cracks were found in the emergency cooling system last December – stress corrosion! Since France’s reactors are all of similar design, large parts of the country’s electricity supply are affected – almost half of the reactors are still under repair!
Dozens of workers were flown in from all over the world to carry out the intricate welding. But that takes time and doesn’t work according to plan. The operator EdF is now months behind schedule – five gigawatts of power are missing, almost as much as all Austrian river hydropower plants put together.
France is trembling from winter blackouts
“Due to the failed policy of recent decades, the houses are poorly insulated, the French literally heat with electricity from uninsulated windows. There are already warnings of imminent nuclear blackouts. That he wants to build new reactors in this situation shows that ‘Atomnapoleon’ Macron didn’t understand anything about it,’ said GLOBAL 2000 expert Reinhard Uhrig after an on-site inspection in Paris.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
