France's most powerful nuclear reactor connected to grid after 17-year build
France's most powerful nuclear reactor connected to grid after 17-year build
The opening of the European Pressurized Reactor in Flamanville comes 12 years late on the initial schedule.
Summary
France’s Flamanville 3 nuclear reactor, its most powerful at 1,600 MW, was connected to the grid on December 21 after 17 years of construction plagued by delays and budget overruns.
The European Pressurized Reactor (EPR), designed to boost nuclear energy post-Chernobyl, is 12 years behind schedule and cost €13.2 billion, quadruple initial estimates.
President Macron hailed the launch as a key step for low-carbon energy and energy security.
Nuclear power, which supplies 60% of France’s electricity, is central to Macron’s plan for a “nuclear renaissance.”
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Nuclear plant construction delayed? Budget overrun? Even in one of the most nuclear developed countries in the world? Wooooow, what a surprise!!
Fossil fuel exec calls up his criminal friends in whatever legislative bodies he can reach "hey yeah I need this delayed and I need it to cost more in order to make my own business plans look less stupid and toxic. I don't fucking care how you do it, rubber stamp some no bid contracts for your cousin in law's consulting firm or something. Of course your family can expect some very lucrative careers, incidentally..."
Considering the conservative opposition is suddenly pivoting towards "woo nuclear!" In Australia. It's more likely: the writing is on the wall, how can we distract, and waste time from building renewables and storage, and keep fossil fuels going as long as possible to extract every last dollar from our existing investments.
Nuclear has never been fast to build.
Let's stop wasting time, and build storage. Any storage. Even inefficient storage. Renewables are being curtailed, and ultimately not built because of curtailment. Prices are negative during the middle of the day.