France Relies on Nuclear Power - VOA Story

Rising oil prices, the volatility of supplies, and need for alternative energy sources that will not add to climate change and global warming - these are issues increasingly in the public limelight, hotly debated at international conferences and gatherings. While many countries are seeking to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels, France has already done so by turning to a very controversial source of energy - nuclear power.

Energy independence was a crucial factor in the decision by French political leaders to embark on an ambitious nuclear energy program back in 1973, during the Middle East oil embargo. France now has 58 nuclear power plants and derives nearly 80 percent of its electricity from them. All of the plants are operated by the national electricity company, EDF.

While nuclear opponents argue that reliance on such a dangerous source of energy is sheer madness, supporters say that in a time of rising oil prices, the uncertain availability of energy resources and concerns about carbon pollution and global warming, the use of nuclear energy makes sense.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• France
• Nuclear
• Reactor
• Energy
• EDF

[hotFusionReaction]

You are honestly going to tell me that it is worse to use Nuclear Energy were the by product, for starters is TINY compared to that of Coal fired plants, but better yet is COMPLETELY CONTAINED and will NEVER enter the environment?

That is your position?

And Don't waste time with the spurious argument of comparing radiation to CO2, they're BOTH EQUALLY DEADLY in sufficient quantities.

Please stick to the facts. BOTH produce waste but Nuclear is the ONLY one who responsibly HOLDS ON TO IT.

[hotFusionReaction]

If the United States had developed Nuclear Energy at the same rate as France, we would not only be in compliance with the Kyoto Treaty, WE WOULD BE ABOUT 15% UNDER IT!

Try telling the "so called" Environmentalists that and they act as though YOU are the moron.

Unbelievable.

[JonThm]

Nature produces He and gamma wave radiation, as it does molecular nuclear fusion from water: Your own heart does it as it beats!

[HoOkEdOnBlEaCh]

@MrBillcale Oh we are smart enough, its just that we choose to be ignorant. In this Information age we have the information at our finger tips, its just that we can't even be bothered to do even 30 minutes worth of research because we all know that nuclear power is EVILZ *rollseyes* Greenpeace and other environuts have been so successful in their propaganda that the average American don't have a clue on the benefits of Nuclear power, just the overhyped dangers, which is completely out of date.

[HoOkEdOnBlEaCh]

@JonThm Nuclear fusion? Franz? Nuclear fusion on its soil? What the hell are you talking about? make yourself coherent if you want to be taken seriously, what are you? A 8 year old? Chernobyl is over used by anti-nuclear power members, why? Because it was the ONLY accident where there was a large release of radiation from a nuclear reactor in the decades of use. I mean really, the hysteria around nuclear power is just... astounding, you can really see the stupidity of humanity in the hysteria.

[JonThm]

@HoOkEdOnBlEaCh the only reason Franz has nuclear fusion on its soil is emission from Germany. Nuclear fission is toxic hazardous and fatal -remember Chernobyl

[HoOkEdOnBlEaCh]

@JonThm Are you serious? Fatal? Toxic? Expensive I get, at the start. Nuclear power plants need massive capital compared to coal plants. But have far less operating costs and is NOT prone to price fluctuating with the cost of oil. In the United States there has not been a SINGLE death attributed to commercial nuclear power when the USA has 103 nuclear plants currently online. If nuclear power is dangerous and fatal, then why does France have one of the least instances of cancer?

[captinseperoth]

@hotFusionReaction

get elected,that's the only way to fix things...oh and get support by every other scientist,engineer out there..then we can build a better American.

[MrBillcale]

arent we americans smart enough to copy what the french have done? quite remarkable actually

[JonThm]

EDF are expensive, toxic, fatal nuclear power

[ChrisPCrunchy]

The future is nuclear, I firmly believe that but fusion of Boron(NOT fission).A functioning fusion power plant would be possible today at a cost of approx 100mil using a system called Polywell.This is about 3months budget spent on Tokamak fusion research. Inform yourself watch this video on youtube:

"Should Google Go Nuclear? Clean, cheap, nuclear power..."

The problem with Polywell is that it can be scaled down as well as up and the people who own the energy industry dont like that.

[theflyingmusician1]

Sorry to bother you again, but please take a look at the article of Nuclear Waste in Wikepedia, and then you shall know how they actually deal with Nuclear waste. And then please explain to me the future of British energy without Nuclear Power. Do not say renewable to me because I will laugh.