On: Google to back three new nuclear projects

[melling]

Remember that time France went from 7% to 70% nuclear energy?

https://youtu.be/1WNjyxeBsWc?si=kVa2qf0uBeFrAyYB

[ViewTrick1002 → melling]

Yes? That was half a century ago. The equivalent choice in 2025 is renewables with storage.

Today they are wholly unable to build new nuclear power as evidenced by Flamanville 3 being 7x over budget and 13 years late on a 5 year construction schedule.

Their EPR2 program is also in absolute shambles continually being pushed into the future while revising up the costs.

Now hopefully targeting investment decision in mid 2026 and the first new reactor online by 2038.

Until 2038 we should of course stop decarbonizing. No point reducing the area under the curve.

[PaulHoule → ViewTrick1002]

EPR was so unbuildable that it could have been designed by Amory Lovins to eliminate nuclear power.

[ViewTrick1002 → PaulHoule]

It is not like it is going better for the AP1000 or NuScale. Including financing for the APR1400 bid in Czechia again leads to similar equivalent costs.

[ZeroGravitas → melling]

Many countries are rolling out TWhs per capita of renewable generation faster than France did at its peak of nuclear rollout.

It was impressive, but it's been overshadowed by modern renewables.

[natmaka → melling]

Nuclear ELECTRICITY, not 'energy'!

In France about 60% of final energy is produced thanks to fossil fuel.

Moreover the cost of this 'nuclearization' was huge (France debt is abyssal, and taxes are very high)

Details: https://sites.google.com/view/electricitedefrance/messmer-pl...