Corrosion issues and routine maintenance mean that French electricity generation faces a woefully slow return to normal
Save time by listening to our audio articles as you multitaskFrance’s current nuclear troubles are partly due to routine maintenance of the country’s 56 reactors, half of which are about 40 years old. Each ageing reactor needs periodically to be shut down, on a rotating basis, for inspection. During the pandemic, scheduled maintenance was interrupted by lockdowns. The real crunch, though, came after corrosion issues were detected in late 2021 at one pressurised-water reactor.
The awkward truth, however, is that France’s nuclear woes are also of its own making. Historically the French have been proud of the semi-independence afforded by their nuclear fleet, which generates 69% of the country’s electricity. However, after the nuclear accident in Fukushima in 2011, coupled with lobbying from French anti-nuclear groups and greens, nuclear power went out of fashion.
It was not until this February that President Emmanuel Macron, Mr Hollande’s successor, swung firmly behind nuclear as part of his plans for a lower-carbon economy. Unveiling an energy strategy based on the revival of nuclear and expansion of renewables, Mr Macron announced that France would build six new-generation reactors, and possibly another eight by 2050. This marked renewed confidence in a demoralised sector. But the new reactors will take many years to come on line.
Belgique Dernières Nouvelles, Belgique Actualités
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