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According to this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_power_stations_in_France#Nuclear https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_power_stations_in_Fran... the

According to this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_power_stations_in_France#Nuclear https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_power_stations_in_Fran... the last time France put a new nuclear reactor online was over 20 years ago. There was probably a window where we could have powered our grids with nuclear and done well with that versus the alternatives. A bunch of factors, including lobbying by fossil fuel interests, meant that didn't happen. These days that same lobbying and other factors are fighting against solar+wind+hydro but hopefully this time it's unstoppable. The fact that solar and wind are distributed and don't have extreme tail risks helps a lot. Nuclear was too easy to stop because of the extremely complex projects and very unlikely but very high magnitude risks.

mpweiher 3y ago
France was on the renewables train until last year. They've since changed course and are reinvesting massively into nuclear. Macron calls for nuclear 'renaissance' to end the France's reliance on fossil fuels https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/02/11/macron-calls-for-nuclear-renaissance-to-end-the-france-s-reliance-on-fossil-fuels https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/02/11/macron-calls-for-n... This is not just talk France's Assemblée Nationale adopts 'nuclear acceleration' bill on first reading https://www.lemonde.fr/en/france/article/2023/03/21/france-s-assemblee-nationale-adopts-nuclear-acceleration-bill-on-first-reading_6020219_7.html https://www.lemonde.fr/en/france/article/2023/03/21/france-s... 402 votes in favor, 130 against. 75% approval. So broad consensus. p.s.: Doesn't mean they are stopping renewables entirely. Still doing some off-shore wind that can be brought online relatively quickly.