32 nuclear reactors shut down out of 56 in France.
Twelve of which were taken out of service for corrosion control operations, cracks having been detected on some reactors.
Although it is one of the most carbon-free energies, civilian nuclear energy is often singled out by its detractors.
The reason ?
The risks of accidents with dramatic consequences, as demonstrated by Chernobyl in 1986 and Fukushima in 2011, as well as the burial of radioactive waste on the territory.
However, France is the country that uses nuclear energy the most.
70% of its electricity is produced thanks to the 56 reactors, which are, on average, 37 years old.
But if it is common knowledge that it remains indeed an alternative to fossil fuels, French law does not recognize it as a renewable energy.
A public debate to weigh the pros and cons
While at the beginning of November the government presented its bill aimed at accelerating the construction of new third-generation nuclear reactors in France, a first public meeting organized by the National Commission for Public Debate (CNDP) took place in Penly, near from Dieppe, in Seine-Maritime, on December 12.
The goal ?
Inform and consult the inhabitants of the areas where the future power plants will be located, and whose construction sites should begin before May 2027 for commissioning by 2035-2036.
The debates around the government's desire to increase the share of nuclear power in the French energy mix are therefore likely to intensify in the months to come.
This is why
20 Minutes
has looked for you, on video, on this thorny question, eternally debated: is civil nuclear power really good for the climate?
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