From: constant@gn.ecn.purdue.edu (Tino)
Subject: Re: True Costs of French Commercial Nuclear Power
Keywords: energy environment press
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 93 22:46:53 GMT

In article <58550@dime.cs.umass.edu> yodaiken@chelm.cs.umass.edu (victor yodaiken) writes:
>>>>Our grandchildren will hate us for not retiring carbon fueled
>>>>power plants as fast as possible. The only feasible alternative
>>>>is nuclear, as the French, Japanese and Koreans understand and as
>>>>their extensive experience demonstrates. We owe it to the Earth,

It should be noted that Korea is building 18 reactors in the next 15 years.

>>>Got a reference to back this up? The French have a working nuclear industry,

>>Yes, I do, and here's some facts:
>>
>>Currently, 75% of the electricity generation in France is nuclear with 56
>>active reactors.
>>
>>In 1991, France (or EdF, the company that runs the show) EXPORTED 53.4 TWh
>>of electricity, a 17% gain from 1990, for a turnover of 12 billion francs.
>>Because of this, EdF was the seventh largest French exporter in 1990, and
>>has probably moved up even higher. Their three largest consumers were the

>You don't answer my questions. How much was invested? What's the return
>on equity? What evidence leads one to believe that the French government
>is getting a good return on the public's investment? I know that they
>generate power, and I'm prepared to believe that they export it. What's
>the *cost* though?
 
I tried to track this down. Nuclear News (Nov. 1992) said that (paraphrased)
"after several years of losses, EdF turned a small profit in 1990 and a large
profit in 1991". You'll have to check out The Economist or another industry
mag to get the exact numbers. Just because I (the engineer) have to find all
of the numbers to support my argument doesn't mean that you don't have to.

>>UK, Italy, and Switzerland. [Tino's note: Italy is paying through the nose
>
>Is there a high power transmission cable accross the English Channel?

Apparently. The reactor sites along the English Channel, Flamanville, Paluel,
and Penly may be producing that electricity.

>>for shutting down its plants] Germany has also begun to import large 
>>amounts of electricity (5.5 TWh in 1991).
>
>Replacing the East German suicidal power system, I guess.

Even so, the combined German states had an increase in their share of nuclear
generated electricity from 1990 to 1991. (Nuclear News, Nov. 92)

>>(source: "Le programme electronucleaire francais au 1er janvier 1992" by
>>the Commissariat d'Energie Atomique)
>
>Sure to give an even handed treatment, no?

It is mainly a collection of tables and status reports of the country's 
reactors, as well as a timetable of important events in the European nuclear 
scene.

Some other goodies:

Nuclear News (Nov. 92) reports that the nuclear share will be at 80% within a
year.

The reactors built in the early 1980's were all 900 MWe PWRs, the generation
of PWRs built from 1985-1993 are all 1300 MWe units, and the most recently
ordered units (Chooz B1, Chooz B2, Civaux-1, Civaux-2, Carnet-1, Carnet-2)
will be 1455 MWe (Yep, that's 4500+ MWt per unit!). 

They are starting to use MOX (Mixed Oxide Fuel) in the PWRs, and in a few
years, a dozen reactors will be burning plutonium and uranium. This "closing
of the fuel cycle contributes to a reduction in its cost". 

So it looks like by the end of the century, France (EdF) will have 65 reactors
up and running, many buring MOX fuel, and exporting at least 70 TWh per year
to neighboring countries. 

Perhaps the nuclear industry could be a bright future to an aspiring
scientist like yourself, Victor.

Tino
-- 
     "Here are the young men, the weight on their shoulders..." - J.D.
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