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jacquesmtoday at 2:18 AM1 replyview on HN

Almost everybody that trumpets how fantastic France is doing with their nuclear fleet has no clue how they are really doing. You can start here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_power_in_France

Oh, and good chance that in the summer months (when demand is pretty high, especially in the South of France) they may have to shut down again because of a lack of cooling capacity. France was ahead of the game in the 70's, but should have invested a lot more than they did since then. That they installed more than they needed also didn't help, especially not because the energy produced is sold on the open market at a net loss just to keep the reactors operating.

And last but not least: they have an ever growing waste problem.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_waste_management_in_Fr...

The cost of which (besides the maintenance costs mentioned above) has not been accounted for in the electricity pricing. If they did, they'd be running at an even higher loss. Probably the next generation will be presented the bill for that.


Replies

lucb1etoday at 12:55 PM

> has no clue how they are really doing. You can start here:

I actually did look into that and am familiar with the page, as well as the waste situation, thank you

You've successfully ignored the core point of people are literally dying as we speak from the things we are choosing to continue to do. And not just like five in a mine somewhere, as you would have for solar resources as well, but millions, everywhere, every year

It's so weird to read this moral framework where one puts engineering challenges and a risk of brown-outs over so many lives, especially when you include the 150M ~ 1B people that are expected to be uprooted and become climate migrants 25 years from now if we continue like this

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