French losing faith in nuclear industry following latest incident
confidence is taking a further hit because on 5 September Electricite de France, denied reports of a fire at the Fessenheim nuclear power plant (NPP) in eastern France
Not quite what France’s BFM television reported,…that local authorities said the incident was “the beginning of a fire.”
the “incident” at Fessenheim NPP in fact raises troubling issues about aging French NPPs.
French Nuclear “Incident” Raises Concerns By John Daly | Wed, 05 September 2012 In the 1960s, as the U.S. “Atoms for Peace” program got into full swing, promoting civilian nuclear electricity propagation, no European country bought into the concept more deeply than France.
Seduced by the concept of electricity “too cheap to measure,” France began developing a massive nuclear energy program with minimal public debate after the first oil crisis in 1974 and continued to support nuclear power even after the 1986 Soviet Chernobyl disaster.
The March 2011 debacle at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex heightened the French public’s concerns, but France abandoning nuclear power is an order of magnitude more difficult than neighbouring Germany. Continue reading
Incident at France’s old Fessenheim nuclear power plant
Accident at France’s oldest nuclear plant. THE AUSTRALIAN, AFP ,September 06, 2012 A STEAM leak due to an accidental chemical reaction at France’s oldest nuclear plant led to two people being slightly burnt and renewed calls to reduce the country’s heavy reliance on atomic energy.
The accident occurred at the Fessenheim nuclear power plant in northeastern France within 1.5km of the border with Germany and about 40km from Switzerland.
“It was not a fire,” the local prefecture said, adding that oxygenated steam had escaped after hydrogen peroxide reacted with water in a reservoir.
About 50 firefighters were deployed, an official from the service said……
France is the world’s most nuclear-dependent country, operates 58 reactors and has been a leading international proponent of atomic energy.
But in a deal with the Greens before this year’s parliamentary and presidential elections, President Francois Hollande’s Socialist party promised to reduce reliance on nuclear energy from more than 75 percent to 50 per cent by shutting 24 reactors by 2025.
France’s reliance on nuclear power has been increasingly called into question since the Fukushima disaster in Japan, which prompted Germany to announce plans to shut all of its reactors by the end of 2022…..
France’s ecology ministry said there was no safety threat. Ecology Minister Delphine Batho termed it a “workplace accident” and promised that “a complete report on this incident will be made public.”
On stream since 1977, Fessenheim has two water reactors. It is built along a huge canal and draws water for cooling from the Rhine river.
Due to its location, it is considered vulnerable to seismic activity and flooding and is provisionally scheduled to close in 2017.
After the scare, former Green presidential candidate Noel Mamere said: “This incident proves that we must close Fessenheim as soon as possible,” adding that it would be better to spend “billions of euros” on developing renewable energy. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/accident-at-frances-oldest-nuclear-plant/story-e6frg6so-1226466141232
EDF Delays Start Of Three Nuclear Plants: Current Halts Bloomberg, By Rachel Morison – Aug 14, 2012 Electricite de France SA, delayed the start of its Chooz B-2, Cruas-1 and Paluel-3 nuclear power plants, according to data on the website of
grid operator Reseau de Transport d’Electricite.
EDF gave start dates for its Chinon B-1, Fessenheim-2 and
Gravelines-1, RTE data show. The start date for Cruas-4 was removed
from RTE’s website.
The world’s biggest nuclear power plant operator has 37 reactors
online, representing 64 percent of available nuclear capacity, RTE
data show. That’s the lowest since June 20. EDF’s 58 atomic plants
generate about 78 percent of France’s
power….http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-08-14/edf-delays-start-of-three-nuclear-plants-current-halts-table-.html
Veil of secrecy over France’s unaffordable nuclear power decommissioning
“What is not tolerable is that the funds are managed by the operators”
Over the past six years there has been a veritable veil pulled over this subject.”
French Nuclear Dismantling Funds May Fall Short, Report Says http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-24/french-nuclear-dismantling-funds-may-fall-short-report-says.html By Tara Patel – Jul 24, 2012 Electricite de France SA and Areva SA (AREVA), along with other French nuclear operators, may not be setting aside enough funds to pay for future dismantling of reactors and treatment and storage of atomic waste, according to a parliamentary report. Continue reading
Nuclear waste travelling from Italy to La Hague, France
“In both Italy and France, nuclear energy is at an impasse: they don’t know what to do with nuclear waste”
Italians voted overwhelmingly against a return to nuclear energy in a
June 2011 referendum
Convoy taking Italian spent nuclear fuel to France: reports
http://www.expatica.com/fr/news/french-news/convoy-taking-italian-spent-nuclear-fuel-to-france-reports_238702.html 24/07/2012 A rail convoy highly radioactive spent nuclear fuel from Italy to France set off from the northern Italian town of Saluggia overnight, Italian media reported Tuesday. Continue reading
Research shows cancer develops from small doses of radiation, especially to children
“Thanks to recent studies, we are now certain that small doses of radiation can seriously affect the thyroids of young children, causing cancers or other illnesses,”
Victims of French nuclear tests see hope in cancer link finding http://www.france24.com/en/20120717-france-nuclear-tests-polynesia-algeria-radiation-cancer-victims-compensation-health Victims of French nuclear tests say a report establishing a link between exposure to radiation and cases of cancer may prove decisive in their lengthy battle for compensation. By Andrea Davoust
Thanks to a landmark medical expert’s report, a new link has been established between France’s nuclear testing in the Pacific and North Africa and cases of cancer among civilians and former military personnel.
The findings, revealed by daily Le Parisien on Tuesday, could help speed up the lengthy legal process to compensate potential victims of these tests. Continue reading
France used soldiers as guinea pigs for radiation effects
An excerpt published in the newspaper refers to the “Gerboise verte”, code name for the test firings of April 25, 1961. It states that the experiment “should allow for a study of the physiological and psychological effects of atomic weaponry on humans, with the goal obtaining the necessary elements to prepare physically and morally for modern combat.”
Soldiers deliberately exposed to nuclear tests, says report According to the Tuesday edition of the French daily Parisian, a confidential military report proves that soldiers were deliberately exposed to nuclear tests that France conducted in Algeria in the 1960s. By FRANCE 24 17 July 12 Continue reading
At last France accepts liability for cancers in nuclear test victims
Under the provisions of the bill the new compensation scheme will apply to former soldiers and civilians that developed cancers and other illnesses after exposure to radiation from nuclear tests carried out in Algeria and French Polynesia.
Parliament approves compensation bill for nuclear test victims The French parliament voted Tuesday to pay compensation to victims of nuclear tests France carried out in Algeria and French Polynesia over the course of more than three decades. By FRANCE 24 17 July 12
The French parliament on Tuesday approved a compromise bill offering compensation to the victims of nuclear tests carried out by France between 1960 and 1996, overturning decades of official failure to accept general liability for health problems suffered by those present at or near the test sites. Continue reading
France’s huge and growing nuclear waste problem
Nuclear waste in France set to double http://www.upi.com/Science News/2012/07/13/Nuclear-waste-in-France-set-to-double/UPI 21671342208921/#ixzz20dUEDe8D PARIS, July 13 (UPI) –– France’s nuclear waste agency says the amount of such waste in the country will double by 2030, and some of it will remain radioactive for 2 million years.
The current 45 million cubic feet of nuclear waste in France is likely to reach 95 million cubic feet in the next 18 years, a report by Andra, the agency charged with stocking and disposing of nuclear waste, said.
The current amount of waste represents 4 pounds for every person in the country.
With nuclear power the principle source of electricity in France, the Andra report warns of major problems stockpiling waste, Radio France Internationale reported. While only 0.2 percent of current stocks are highly radioactive, some of the material, such as neptunium 237, can remain active for more than 2 million years.
The socialist government of Francois Hollande has resisted pressure from its coalition partners to drastically reduce the nuclear power industry, responsible for 59 percent of all the nuclear waste generated in the country, RFI reported.
France stressing diplomacy in approach to Iran nuclear issue
Hollande highlights importance of dialogue about Iran nuclear issue Tehran Times, 13 July 12, TEHRAN – French President Francois Hollande has highlighted the importance of dialogue between Iran and the six major powers about the country’s nuclear issue.
Hollande made the remarks during a meeting with new Iranian ambassador to France, Ali Ahani, on Wednesday. He also said that France is closely monitoring the process of talks
between Iran and the 5+1 group (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany) while respecting the Islamic Republic’s independence. …..
http://www.tehrantimes.com/politics/99558-hollande-highlights-importance-of-dialogue-about-iran-nuclear-issue
AREVA scrambles to sell nuclear technology to China
Areva Looks To China As France Rethinks Nuclear Power By Francois de Beaupuy and Caroline Connan – Jul 7, 2012 Areva SA (AREVA) Chief Executive Officer Luc Oursel is seeking fresh talks to sell nuclear reactors to China , halted in the wake of last year’s nuclear accident in Japan and amid questions about the new French government’s energy stance. …. Continue reading
AREVA and others scramble to sell nuclear technology to Britain
Areva confirms joint bid with China’s CGNPC for UK’s Horizon AIX-EN-PROVENCE, France, July 7 | Sat Jul 7, 2012 (Reuters) – French nuclear group Areva will make a joint bid with China Guangdong Nuclear Power Corporation Holding (CGNPC) for the UK’s 6-gigawatt Horizon project, its chief executive Luc Oursel said on Saturday.
“We will participate in the British government’s plan to make this project a reality, and we will probably do it with Chinese power companies and other players,” Oursel said on the sidelines of a conference in Aix-en-Provence, southern France. “Probably by the end of the year, the sellers will make public their choice for the team that will take over the project,” Oursel told
reporters.
Reuters reported on June 18 that Westinghouse teamed up with SNPTC to make a bid, while Areva picked China Guangdong to put forward a bid…. http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/07/areva-horizon-idUSL6E8I72CS20120707
Serious safety problems found in 8 of France’s nuclear reactors
This failure raises even more questions in risk facilities, such as the plant of Areva LaHague whose pools contain the equivalent of 130 cores of nuclear power plants …
Severe abnormalities detected on fuel pools of eight French reactors http://energie-climat.greenpeace.fr/graves-anomalies-detectees-sur-les-piscines-de-combustibles-de-8-reacteurs-francais Greenpeace France 29 June 12 Network “power without atoms” received and analyzed internal documents released today to EDF and IRSN who report anomalies on fuel pools of nuclear reactors Paluel, Flamanville and St. Alban. Abnormalities that could have serious consequences in case of earthquake. Continue reading
France’s nuclear company EDF must meet deadline and spend $12 billion on safety measures
EDF Gets Six Years to Carry Out $12 Billion Safety Measures, Bloomberg News By Tara Patel on June 28, 2012 Electricite de France SA, operator of the country’s 58 nuclear reactors, has six years to complete about 10 billion euros ($12 billion) of measures to boost safety after Japan’s Fukushima disaster, the regulator said.
Autorite de Surete Nucleaire today published deadlines for employing equipment such as diesel generators, bunkered control rooms, and guards against flooding.
An estimate by state-owned EDF that the measures will cost about 10 billion euros “is not improbable,” Andre-Claude Lacoste, head of the watchdog, told reporters today.,,,, EDF was told today to install “core” safety equipment and procedures at every plant to cope with extreme situations. Emergency diesel generators for backup power have to be deployed between 2016 and the end of 2018 and rapid response teams with specialized equipment by the end of 2014. EDF also has to have bunker-like control rooms….. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-06-28/edf-gets-six-years-to-carry-out-12-billion-of-safety-measures
French company GDF Suez moving away from nuclear industry
Ambitions to own and operate new nuclear plants by 2020 and play a role in countries like Brazil and the United States have so far come to nothing. Challenges on GDF Suez’s two home fronts, France and Belgium, are making it even harder.
GDF Suez’s nuclear business seen moving backstage by Caroline Jacobs and Benjamin Mallet PARIS, June 26 (Reuters) – GDF Suez is expected to significantly trim its 47-year old nuclear business now that its only showroom, Belgium, is gradually wrapping up its reliance on the energy form and with nuclear prospects in the French utility’s home market dimming. Continue reading
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