nuclear-news

France’s nuclear power troubled in extreme weather

French Nuclear Power Struggles in a Cold Snap Business Week by: Carol Matlack on December 16 “…… the system also has shortcomings, as became evident this week when a cold snap sent electricity demand soaring.

RTE, the state-controlled electricity distribution network, is warning of possible blackouts in some regions because of unseasonably cold temperatures. “The electrical system is strained,” the group said in a release on Dec. 16……………EDF has forecast that France this year will produce 9% less nuclear power than it did in 2008, mainly because of unscheduled shutdowns for repairs. As many as one-third of the utility’s reactors have been out of service simultaneously this year. EDF’s new boss, Henri Proglio, admits that the system’s reliability has suffered in recent years
At the same time, the country’s relatively low electric rates have encouraged consumers to use more electricity………………………France’s near-total dependence on nuclear reactors, which require more-meticulous care and have to be restarted gradually after shutdowns, makes it especially vulnerable to such problems.

French Nuclear Power Struggles in a Cold Snap – BusinessWeek

December 17, 2009 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | France | antinuclear, AREVA, climate change, EDF, France, nuclear