How France’s nuclear dream became a financial nightmare

Jean-Luc Porquet (surrounded by Dr. Evan Jones), decades of negligence, increasing costs and political denials, transformed the existing nuclear program of France into a stimulating story.

Interpreter Note: The French nuclear energy sector is experiencing deep problems technically and financially. Officially, embedded costs, a cheap power supply, are not counted. It has been a dramatic loss of skills for decades, preventing the effective care of existing plants and returning the construction of the most powerful reactor in France Flemanville In a nightmare on the Normandy coast.

Technological and resource difficulties, including water presence in the face of climate change, have increased. The high radioactive waste accumulation plan in Buren, 250 kilometers east of Paris, remains in a dead end. And the political class lives in denial.

Meanwhile, the coalition parties are adheres to nuclear energy as Australia’s post -coal salvation. Australia has uranium. However, in relation to nuclear power expectations, there are no past, capacities, acceptable places, acceptable grave areas and water. In short, local nuclear energy supporters do not have a brain.

Everything had to work to plan.

The 58 French nuclear reactor, built at a speed of accelerated between 1977 and 1996, was due to the fact that he finished his lives calmly after 30 years of good and loyal service. And new super strong Eprs [European Pressurised Reactors]Designed and built by Éléctricité de FranceHe would make a smooth transition.

It is estimated that the first French Epril will be operational in Flemanville until 2012.

Kapow! Not only cost, but at the beginning 3.3 billion € [AU$5.9 billion]It is multiplied by six (!), but the construction site proved to be a nightmare. The Epr is only connected to the grill in 2024 and hasn’t worked hard since then (it is closing).

In order for tired reactors to withstand 20 years, an emergency patch was required in the old French nuclear park. The total cost of this great revision is currently continuing: 100 billion € [AU$180 billion].

The urgent necessity of finding € 40 billion [AU$72 billion] Obsessed with economies for the 2026 budget Bayrou State [under pressure from Brussels]- Correspondent He publishes a remarkable documentary by the journalist on Youtube Laure Noualhattitled Nucléaire – Comment il Va Ruiner la France. (Also see Noulhat’s book, Le nucléaire va Ruiner la FranceSeuil-Reporterre, 224p.) There, there is dozens of billions of waltzes in the fairy-tale world with nuclear energy. Golden Rule: “No matter what cost!”

Other inevitable costs? To prolong the life of the plant in The Hague, where the nuclear fuel is processed and at the end of its life – Rude estimate: € 34 billion [AU$61 billion]. Keep digging LeadWhen the most dangerous nuclear wastes will be buried 500 meters below the ground – estimated cost: 35 billion € [AU$63 billion]. In fact, dismantling 58 reactors with patched will end at the end of their lives within ten or 20 years – cost: € 50 billion. Total: 219 € [AU$395.8 billion] to find. That’s not all.

EDF sold an epr for 3 billion € to Finland [AU$5.4 billion] And two people to the United Kingdom for € 22 billion [AU$39.7 billion]. And promised to deal with additional costs. Such a 12 billion € [AU$21.6 billion] 56 billion € for the first [AU$101 billion] For the second. Mathematics.

Thomas PiquemalEDF’s finance manager at that time began to melt. And resigned [in March 2016]. And that’s not all.

President in 2022 Macron Upon request, EDF announced that six “new generations” will start Eprrs [initially, then eight more to 2050]. Hand to your heart, will be (actually, does not know anything about them). Estimated Total Price: 100 billion € [AU$180.7 billion] (more or less). A former EDF Director, Philippe HuetInterview by Laure Noualhat “Crazy Gamble”.

If you have this delusional program ( Cour des Comptes [equivalent to the National Audit Office] As it is unavoidable) to see the day, who will pay for it? Not EDF, already owed to € 55 billion melodies [AU$99 billion]. Nor any private investor (not crazy!). To guess…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjfhyhkpef8

Jean-Luc Porquet, Le Canard Enchaîné Since 1994, when this article appeared on July 9. He writes a column on ecology and technocratic society and theater studies.

Dr. Evan was translated by Jones.

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