Nukewatch

Working for a nuclear-free future since 1979

  • Issues
    • Direct Action
    • Environmental Justice
    • Nuclear Power
      • Chernobyl
      • Fukushima
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • On The Bright Side
    • Radiation Exposure
    • Radioactive Waste
    • Renewable Energy
    • Uranium Mining
    • US Bombs Out of Germany
  • Quarterly Newsletter
    • Quarterly Newsletter
    • Newsletter Archives
  • Resources
    • Nuclear Heartland Book
    • Fact Sheets
    • Reports, Studies & Publications
      • The New Nuclear Weapons: $1.74 Trillion for H-bomb Profiteers and Fake Cleanups
      • Nuclear Power: Dead In the Water It Poisoned
      • Thorium Fuel’s Advantages as Mythical as Thor
      • Greenpeace on Fukushima 2016
      • Drinking Water at Risk: Toxic Military Wastes Haunt Lake Superior
    • Nukewatch in the News
    • Links
    • Videos
  • About
    • About Nukewatch
    • Contact Us
  • Get Involved
    • Action Alerts!
    • Calendar
    • Workshops
  • Donate

October 17, 2022 by Nukewatch Leave a Comment

Corrosion, Climate Chaos Shut Down Half of France’s Reactor Fleet

By Kelly Lundeen
REUTERS/Stephane Mahe/File Photo

France currently has taken a whopping 32 of its 56 nuclear power reactors off line. EDF, France’s largely state-owned nuclear reactor agency, temporarily shut down 15 reactors after cracks were discovered in emergency cooling circuits a year ago. The company had to halt production in others to allow for upgrades and as a result of the overheated climate. Rising temperatures have rendered France’s river water too warm to cool its reactors and waste fuel. The shutdowns are consequential in a country that boasts the world’s largest percentage of nuclear power production compared to other electricity sources. The cooling circuit cracks are reported to have been caused by stress corrosion and faulty welded seals: severely dangerous flaws that could lead to a loss-of-coolant and meltdowns. As reactors are currently being inspected and repaired, fixes are moving slowly. Replacement components need to be readjusted regularly, EDF said to Reuters. Many of the reactors are approaching the end of their 40-year licenses, but EDF is considering 10-year license extensions. Due to the location of the problems, workers carrying out the hazardous duty are exposed to higher doses of ionizing radiation. Consequently, government contractors have arbitrarily raised the allowable maximum dose limit, relaxing rules they said were overly protective in any case. France hopes to have all the reactors back on line by February 2023.

— Reuters, Sept. 16; The Guardian, Aug. 3; New York Times, June 18; Express.co.uk, June 15, 2022

Filed Under: Environment, Newsletter Archives, Nuclear Power, Quarterly Newsletter, Radiation Exposure

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Stay Connected

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Subscribe

Donate

Facebook

Categories

  • B61 Bombs in Europe
  • Chernobyl
  • Counterfeit Reactor Parts
  • Depleted Uranium
  • Direct Action
  • Environment
  • Environmental Justice
  • Fukushima
  • Lake Superior Barrels
  • Military Spending
  • Newsletter Archives
  • North Korea
  • Nuclear Power
  • Nuclear Weapons
  • Office News
  • On The Bright Side
  • Photo Gallery
  • Quarterly Newsletter
  • Radiation Exposure
  • Radioactive Waste
  • Renewable Energy
  • Sulfide Mining
  • Through the Prism of Nonviolence
  • Uncategorized
  • Uranium Mining
  • US Bombs Out of Germany
  • War
  • Weekly Column

Contact Us

(715) 472-4185
nukewatch1@lakeland.ws

Address:
740A Round Lake Road
Luck, Wisconsin 54853
USA

Donate To Nukewatch

News & Information on Nuclear Weapons,
Power, Waste & Nonviolent Resistance

Stay Connected

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

© 2023 · Nukewatch