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France's most powerful nuclear reactor connected to grid after 17-year build (www.lemonde.fr)

submitted 2 days ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/world@lemmy.world

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Summary

France’s Flamanville 3 nuclear reactor, its most powerful at 1,600 MW, was connected to the grid on December 21 after 17 years of construction plagued by delays and budget overruns.

The European Pressurized Reactor (EPR), designed to boost nuclear energy post-Chernobyl, is 12 years behind schedule and cost €13.2 billion, quadruple initial estimates.

President Macron hailed the launch as a key step for low-carbon energy and energy security.

Nuclear power, which supplies 60% of France’s electricity, is central to Macron’s plan for a “nuclear renaissance.”

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[-] Cethin@lemmy.zip 14 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

At least 57 accidents and severe incidents have occurred since the Chernobyl disaster, and over 56 severe incidents have occurred in the USA. Relatively few accidents have involved fatalities, with roughly 74 casualties being attributed to accidents and half of these were those involved in the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

Yeah, this doesn't say what you think it says. More people fall off of rooftops installing solar panels than casualties are caused by nuclear accidents.

[-] sem@lemmy.blahaj.zone -5 points 1 day ago

When people fall off a rooftop, you don't have to make an exclusion zone around it for hundreds of years.

[-] Cethin@lemmy.zip 9 points 1 day ago

And you don't need to for most nuclear accidents either.

[-] sem@lemmy.blahaj.zone -3 points 1 day ago

I think that's the point here. OP is claiming that nuclear is overburdened by regulations, which normally protects people. But when they go wrong or aren't followed, it changes the map.

[-] Cethin@lemmy.zip 9 points 1 day ago

That OP is me. Yeah, you're right. Some are required. The same for any other power source. Coal, for example, constantly sprays radioactive waste into the sky, and they aren't burdened by it. Nuclear is singled out, and that's because it's a risk to existing industries. It isn't so burdened out of actual need.

[-] sem@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 1 day ago

That's why I'm hoping for the smaller modular designs that can be certified and studied very well.

[-] Cethin@lemmy.zip 6 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Both are good. Usually scale gives better efficiency, though nuclear is already so efficient that it isn't strictly required. I'm in favor of moving forward with both, and we should be getting the government to support the development, at least by removing unnecessary barriers that are there just to prop up dirty energy a little longer.

this post was submitted on 23 Dec 2024

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