France
France gets nearly 80% of its electricity from its 58 reactors. However, such a heavy reliance on nuclear power brings with it many major, unsolved problems, most especially that of radioactive waste. Despite assertions to the contrary, the French nuclear story is far from a gleaming example of nuclear success. Please visit Beyond Nuclear International for current coverage of nuclear France.
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Yves Marignac, executive director of the energy information agency WISE-Paris, recently toured the U.S. setting the record straight about the myths surrounding the alleged "success" of the French nuclear power complex. Read his statement in which he points out, among other things, that the French nuclear system is fundamentally anti-democratic.
On the heels of the 50,000-strong protest September 5 against nuclear power in Berlin, Germany, anti-nuclear activists will be gathering for a similar protest in Colmar, France, October 3 and 4. The two days of activities will include an October 3 rally. Linda Gunter will represent Beyond Nuclear at the rally and conference. The focus of the event will be an effort to close the oldest reactor in France - Fessenheim - rather than allow the French government to extend its license. This action partners well with Beyond Nuclear activities in the U.S. where we are part of a coalition to stop the license extension of this country's oldest reactor - at Oyster Creek in New Jersey. More information about the Colmar events can be found on the Shut Down Fessenheim Web site.
The groundbreaking ceremony for Areva's Taishan EPR in China which was supposed to happen on Aug 27 has reportedly been postponed indefinitely. There is speculation by the French activist network - Sortir du Nucléaire - that the EPR project in China may not now go forward. Areva claimed that the postponement was due to "bad weather" but Sortir du Nucléaire countered that the Chinese had informed Areva in June that the ceremony would not go forward on the August date. Aside from the financial EPR disaster in Finland, the only country French president, Nicolas Sarkozy has succeeded in selling the EPR to is...France.
French state-owned nuclear corporation Areva admitted this week that the delays and cost over-runs on its ongoing EPR reactor construction site in Finland had "virtually wiped out interim operating profits" according to an article in the Financial Times. Embattled CEO, Anne Lauvergeon, whose job has remained in jeopardy for some time, told the FT that Areva had suffered a 97% fall in operating profit amounting to 16 million euros (just under $23 million) while net profit was down 79% at 161 million euros (just under $229 million). Sounding an ominous warning for the future of new reactors, Areva - the lead contender for new plants in the U.S. - already faces a $5.3 billion euro ($7.5 billion) price tag for the plant that is already three years behind schedule while admitting that the price tag could continue to soar.
September 22, 2009