France nuclear power generation

Japan has the world s third largest nuclear power industry, after the United States and France. The government was planning to build 11 more reactors in the decade, thus increasing Japan s reliance on home-based nuclear power to 40% of electricity needs. However, there was local opposition to nuclear power generating projects in view of the most deadly history of nuclear power in Japan. 

The graphite-moderated gas-cooled reactor was the most popular design in the early days of nuclear power generation, especially in the UK and France. 

Many dozens of industrialized countries now employ nuclear reactors for power generation, and some countries produce more electrical power by nuclear reaction than by fossil fuel combustion (France is an example). The United States, however, has the largest installed capacity of nuclear-powered boiler plants (in the year 2000 there are more than 120 nuclear reactor power plants in the United States). Nuclear power is also widely used for marine duty in both commercial and naval vessels. 

The use of coal for electricity generation is responsible for about 32% of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions in the U S. 11 As shown by France, it is possible to displace virtually all the coal used in electricity generation. Thus, France in 1997 obtained about 78% of its electricity from nuclear power and only about 5% from coal. Further reductions in carbon dioxide emissions could be made by the electrification of other sectors of the energy economy, including buildings, and eventually perhaps much of transportation. 

Three countries, namely the USA (104 plants), France (59 plants) and Japan, account for approximately 58% of the worldwide generation capacity, followed by Germany and the Russian Federation. These three countries also dominated the historical development of nuclear power expansion (see Fig. 4.1). The three countries with the highest nuclear energy share in their electricity mix today are France, with around 75%, followed by Lithuania, with 70%, and Slovakia, with 55%. While nuclear power contributes some 20% to power generation in the United States, the share in the EU25 is around 36%. 

The ITER R D project is the latest international research initiative on nuclear fusion for power generation. The ITER initiative has partners from the European Union, including Switzerland, Japan, Russia, China, South Korea, India and the United States. The project is expected to run for the next 30 years, of which 10 years will be needed for construction of the reactor in Cadarache, France, and 20 years for operation. The cost is approximately 10 billion and the first plasma operation is... 

As opposed to nuclear fission, nuclear fusion is the reaction when two light atomic nuclei fuse together, forming a heavier nucleus. That nucleus releases energy. So far, fusion power generators bum more energy than they create. However, that may change with the construction of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) in Southern France. To be completed in 2016 at a cost of about 11.7 billion, the reactor is a pilot project to show the world the feasibility of full-scale fusion power. 

The environmental measurements around French nuclear power plants are described by Le Corre and Bourcier (1996). Electricite de France generates 75% of its electricity in nuclear power plants with pressurised water reactors (PWR). These plants comprise 34 units of 900 MW and 20 units of 1300 MW, the first of which was connected to the grid in 1977, and the last in 1993. Three other units of 1400 MW are under construction. The environmental measurements are performed in two complementary ways ... 

Nuclear is an energy option that provides about 20% of our power. France uses nuclear energy to generate almost 80% of its electric power and a number of other countries are more dependent on this energy option than the United States although the technology was invented and developed here. Nuclear power could make the U.S. less dependent on foreign oil. 

The nuclear power industry has been at a standstill in the United States based on fears that nuclear is too dangerous. Besides France at 80%, Belgium generates 60% of its power from nuclear, Switzerland 42%, Sweden 39%, Spain 37%, Japan 34% and U.K. 22%. These countries that generate a higher percentage of their power with nuclear energy than the U.S. have done so without any loss of life or harm to the environment. 

Nuclear power is a major source of energy for electrical generation worldwide. Nuclear power plants are found in over 30 countries and generate about 17% of the world s electricity. France gets about 76% of its electricity from nuclear power, Japan gets about 33%, and tbe United States gets about 22%. Special Topic 18.1 A New Treatment for Brain Cancer describes another use for a fission reaction. 

Figure 19.1 shows the fraction of all electricity generated by nuclear power stations in different countries. In countries like Lithuania and France any further large increase in... 

Worldwide, 430 nuclear plants generate about 17% of all electricity. In France, nuclear s share is 79% in Japan it is 28%. Whereas there has not been a new nuclear plant ordered in the United States since 1978, there were 24 nuclear power plants worldwide under construction in 2005 (ElA 2006c). Many countries have ambitious plans to build more plants. China, with just nine plants currently in operation, plans on building as many as 25 new plants by 2025. Given the potential size of the Chinese market, reactor vendors from several countries are actively pursuing Chinese contracts, with the hope that China will use their designs for future plants. 

France generates over 70% of its electricity from nuclear power. (The figure for the USA and for the UK is just over 20%.) Is there any turning back for such countries that depend so heavily upon nuclear power Find out what would be the advantages of adopting nuclear fusion if (and when) it becomes available. 

Figure 21.21 The United States has the most reactors in operation. China has the most reactors under construction. France generates the largest percentage of its electricity from nuclear power.

Over 33% of Community electricity is currently generated by nuclear power, giving it a critical role in overall economic security. However, this average ranges from 0% in countries such as Denmark and Ireland to 60% or more in Belgium and France, so that individual members of the Community find themselves with differing perceptions of the importance and benefit/ cost trade-offs of nuclear power. 

As every nuclear power plant operator, Electricite de France have two permanent concerns to ensure safest possible generation and to get best overall economic performance. These two concerns are the basement of the maintenance policy and have lead EDF to clarify maintenance concepts and to initiate large studies aiming to optimize maintenance activities. 

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