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France
FRANCE
| First Nuclear Power Plant Opened: | 1948 |
| Number and Types of Nuclear Power Plants: |
Currently, there are 59 reactors operating in France. (A list of France's nuclear power plants can be found at: http://www.world-nuclear.org/wgs/decom/database/php/reactorsdb_index.php) |
| Percentage of National Energy From Nuclear Power: | France derives nearly 78% of its electricity from nuclear energy. |
| Future Nuclear Power Plans: |
It is certain that France's reliance on nuclear power will continue to progress and develop well into the future. Most recently, France has been chosen as the home for the world's first nuclear fission reactor, to be located in Cadarache. The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, a cooperative effort by the US, Russia, Japan, China, the EU, and South Korea, is intended to harness energy from fusion reactions, which is potentially cleaner, cheaper, and safer. Additionally, France is seeking to expand the export of its nuclear technology abroad. Accordingly, France nuclear Group Alstom has already secured one nuclear contract in China's Guandong province this year, while its counterpart, Areva, is currently bidding on China's $8 billion dollar contract to build two nuclear power plants. France has also signed a nuclear cooperation for peace agreement with Vietnam, in which France will assist in Vietnam's nuclear development. Likewise, France has also agreed to aid in Libya's pursuit of peaceful nuclear power. |
ANALYSIS / ISSUES
Since the oil shocks of in 1974, France has increasingly devoted its energy production to nuclear power. In addition to limiting France's energy imports, nuclear power has also become a vital element in France's environmental efforts to reduce the production of greenhouse gases . Accordingly, in 1999, France's commitment to nuclear power was officially made manifest by parliament's energy policy, which determined that natural gas had no economic advantage over nuclear power, nor were renewables a sufficient replacement. Just as France has augmented its indigenous nuclear electricity production, it has increased the exportation of that technology. Presently, France accrues 3.2 billion dollars per year from electricity exports, making it the largest net exporter in the world .
Just as every other country that utilizes nuclear power, France is faced with questions regarding safety, disposal, and nonproliferation. In 2003, France conducted its first national energy debate in response to the 70% of citizens who felt they were uninformed with regards to energy questions. It is expected that France will issue a new Energy Act this year, which will address demand management, the development of renewals, and nuclear power.