While the plant works very well and this may have economic and ecological consequences, the first reactor of the Fessenheim plant will be shut down next night at the request of the government, which wishes to send a message to environmentalists. According to Nicolas Beytout, this is a bad decision.
In 24 hours, the first reactor at the Fessenheim power plant will be shut down. A special day, according to Nicolas Beytout.
There are not many flourishing companies, in perfect working order, ensuring stable employment for a thousand people, who support an entire territory and who make nice profits. Strong companies that close suddenly because their shareholder decided so. When it happened, it caused a political scandal and a long social crisis. We think in particular of the Conti, for example, ten years ago.
This tire factory which had closed in the Oise.
With a strike, an occupation of the factory, the rampage of the sub-prefecture of Compiègne and endless legal consequences. This time, as strange as it may seem, Fessenheim will scuttle half of his business without creating all this turmoil.
Because the decision came from the government and it was announced long ago.
That is true. And then EDF is obliged to assume and monitor this first dismantling of this generation nuclear power plant. However, there is no economic justification for this closure. The unit is in perfect working order, it has been certified by the independent nuclear safety authority. It reports 200 million euros net per year and its dismantling will surely cost more than half a billion according to the Court of Auditors. But the shareholder state bowed to the political state and shot itself in the foot. We must offer a symbol to environmentalists.
Environmentalists highlight nuclear risk and waste management.
Over several centuries, yes, that's true. But this technology is now mastered. Conversely, environmentalists conceal the fact that nuclear energy does not produce greenhouse gases and that it is therefore one of the solutions in the fight against global warming. On the other hand, the Fessenheim judgment will force Germany, for example, to produce more electricity from coal. Exactly the opposite of what is wanted. The problem is that we know today with certainty that we will consume more electricity in the years to come. It will have to be produced as cleanly as possible.
There is renewable energy for that.
Of course. But for the moment they are unable to take over in sufficient quantity, they are moreover irregular and depend on the wind and the sun which are sources of energy by nature unstable. We do not know how to store them well even if it will come one day. Right now, shutting down a profitable, socially safe business and doing it just for political reasons against the obvious and against common sense is an inglorious concession to green pressure from the government.