But in France the problem is that they built their houses according to the maxim "we have abundant cheap nuclear energy" to use marginal insulation and electric

But in France the problem is that they built their houses according to the maxim "we have abundant cheap nuclear energy" to use marginal insulation and electric heaters, so these days they have to buy electricity produced in Germany's dirtiest coal power plants during winter... Here is a (German, sorry) text from last winter: http://www.sol.de/titelseite/topnews/Strom-EDF-Frankreich-Koelte-Winter-Heizung-freiren-ueberlastet-Stromnetze-in-Frankreich-wegen-Kaelte-ueberlastet;art26205,2840399 http://www.sol.de/titelseite/topnews/Strom-EDF-Frankreich-Ko... This winter may become even more problematic, since about a quarter of their nuclear power plants are down for maintenance. http://weblog.greenpeace.org/nuclear-reaction/2009/11/frances_notsonuclear_winter.html http://weblog.greenpeace.org/nuclear-reaction/2009/11/france... http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssUtilitiesElectric/idUSLU26856720091030 http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssUtilitiesElectric/idUSLU2...