The opening of the European Pressurized Reactor in Flamanville comes 12 years late on the initial schedule.

Summary

France’s Flamanville 3 nuclear reactor, its most powerful at 1,600 MW, was connected to the grid on December 21 after 17 years of construction plagued by delays and budget overruns.

The European Pressurized Reactor (EPR), designed to boost nuclear energy post-Chernobyl, is 12 years behind schedule and cost €13.2 billion, quadruple initial estimates.

President Macron hailed the launch as a key step for low-carbon energy and energy security.

Nuclear power, which supplies 60% of France’s electricity, is central to Macron’s plan for a “nuclear renaissance.”

  • john89@lemmy.caEnglish
    62·
    2 days ago

    Sigh. We can’t meet energy demands if we only focus on the cheapest energy sources.

    Like it or not, energy is priced based on how difficult it is to deliver to the recipient.

    • lemmydividebyzero@reddthat.comEnglish
      22·
      2 days ago

      And how does this justify paying a lot more tax payer money to build the NPP instead of renewables?

      France does not only focus on renewables BTW. They have NPPs that already handle the baseline. And building more of them is just not useful at all, when there is a better alternative…

      • john89@lemmy.caEnglish
        44·
        2 days ago

        Renewables aren’t a viable energy source everywhere.