Why is France reducing nuclear power
A combination of planned maintenance shutdowns along with unplanned shortages of reactor cooling water forced French nuclear power operators to cut electricity generation by 23% in 2022 from the year before to record lows, data from think tank Ember shows.
Why are France’s nuclear reactors offline
In France, state-controlled EDF's nuclear output dropped by 30% in 2022, to 279 TWh, as more than half of its 56 reactors were taken offline for repairs which had been delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Is France against nuclear power
France derives about 70% of its electricity from nuclear energy, due to a long-standing policy based on energy security. Government policy, set under a former administration in 2014, aimed to reduce nuclear's share of electricity generation to 50% by 2025.
Why does France have so much nuclear power
France has few fossil fuel resources—coal, oil, or natural gas—of its own. To increase domestic energy supply and reduce reliance on imports, which could result in price shocks like during the oil crisis, it turned to nuclear power.
What is the problem with France nuclear
Cracks may also have been caused by welding and other defects. The utility's nuclear output sank by 23% in 2022 as it halted about a dozen of its 56 reactors to replace cracked pipes. France went from being a major electricity exporter to its neighbors into a net importer for the first time since 1980.
Why did Germany get rid of its nuclear power plants
Fear of accidents and a focus on renewables
“The nuclear phase-out makes Germany safer and avoids additional high-level radioactive waste.
Why are French reactors shut down
Cracks may also have been caused by welding and other defects. The utility's nuclear output sank by 23% in 2022 as it halted about a dozen of its 56 reactors to replace cracked pipes. France went from being a major electricity exporter to its neighbors into a net importer for the first time since 1980.
Where does France get its uranium
The main route from Central Asia to Europe
With regard to France, Greenpeace is particularly interested in the transport of natural uranium from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. According to French customs figures, more than 40% of the natural uranium imported into France in 2022 came from these two countries.
Is France 100% nuclear
Nuclear share of domestic electricity generation 2022, by select country. France has the greatest share of nuclear power in total electricity generation of any country worldwide. In 2022, nuclear energy accounted for 62.6 percent of France's total electricity production.
Is France the only nuclear power in Europe
Over half of the EU's nuclear electricity is produced in only one country – France. The 67 units operating in five non-EU countries (United Kingdom, Belarus, Russia, Ukraine and Switzerland) account for just over 30% of the electricity in the rest of Europe.
Why are French nuclear power stations not working
France's current nuclear troubles are partly due to routine maintenance of the country's 56 reactors, half of which are about 40 years old. Each ageing reactor needs periodically to be shut down, on a rotating basis, for inspection. During the pandemic, scheduled maintenance was interrupted by lockdowns.
Does France have enough nuclear weapons
The Takeaway. France doesn't have the largest nuclear arsenal in the world, but it has enough nuclear weapons to deter any enemy from launching a surprise attack.
Why doesn t Germany go back to nuclear power
Fear of accidents and a focus on renewables
The German government says it is making the country safer by closing down the nuclear reactors. “The nuclear phase-out makes Germany safer and avoids additional high-level radioactive waste. The risks of nuclear power are ultimately unmanageable.
How is Germany replacing nuclear power
Germany plans to replace the roughly 6% of electricity generated by the three nuclear plants with renewables, but also gas and coal. More than 30% of Germany's energy comes from coal, the dirtiest of the fossil fuels – and the government has made controversial decisions to turn to coal to help with energy security.
What happened to French nuclear power
The utility's nuclear output sank by 23% in 2022 as it halted about a dozen of its 56 reactors to replace cracked pipes. France went from being a major electricity exporter to its neighbors into a net importer for the first time since 1980.
Which country is rich in uranium
Kazakhstan
World Nuclear Association (2021)
| Rank | Country/Region | Percentage of World Production (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| World | 100.00% | |
| 1 | Kazakhstan | 45.14% |
| 2 | Namibia | 11.90% |
| 3 | Canada | 9.1% |
Where does France’s nuclear waste go
A storage solution for each type of waste
The most radioactive 10% of waste is currently conditioned in stainless steel containers and placed in intermediate storage at Orano's La Hague plant (waste derived from the processing of spent fuel).
Does France still make nukes
France is one of the five "Nuclear Weapons States" under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, but is not known to possess or develop any chemical or biological weapons. France is the only member of the European Union to possess independent (non-NATO) nuclear weapons.
Where does France send its nuclear waste
Given its half-life, the law stipulates the transfer of these containers to the Industrial Centre for Geological Disposal (Cigéo). Built on the boundary between the Meuse and Haute-Marne departments, Cigéo is scheduled to open in 2035.
Why didn’t Germany make a nuke
The German scientists were cautious: while it was clear that they could build atomic bombs in principle, they would require a great deal of resources to do so and could not realize such weapons any time soon.
What is Germany replacing nuclear with
Germany plans to replace the roughly 6% of electricity generated by the three nuclear plants with renewables, but also gas and coal. More than 30% of Germany's energy comes from coal, the dirtiest of the fossil fuels – and the government has made controversial decisions to turn to coal to help with energy security.
Why didn’t Germany develop nuclear weapons
The German scientists were cautious: while it was clear that they could build atomic bombs in principle, they would require a great deal of resources to do so and could not realize such weapons any time soon.
Where does France get their uranium
The main route from Central Asia to Europe
With regard to France, Greenpeace is particularly interested in the transport of natural uranium from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. According to French customs figures, more than 40% of the natural uranium imported into France in 2022 came from these two countries.
Which country is no 1 in uranium
Kazakhstan
World Nuclear Association (2021)
| Rank | Country/Region | Percentage of World Production (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| World | 100.00% | |
| 1 | Kazakhstan | 45.14% |
| 2 | Namibia | 11.90% |
| 3 | Canada | 9.1% |
What does France do with all its nuclear waste
After being cooled in a pool for about seven years, used nuclear fuel is separated into non-recyclable leftovers that are turned into glass (4% of the material), plutonium (1%) to create a new nuclear fuel called MOX, on which around 40% of France's reactors can run, and reprocessed uranium (95%).
