French lessons - can they help the US nuclear industry
Many analyses of the politics and economics of nuclear energy in the United States rely on comparisons of US reactor programs with those of France, which have proven to be more successful. The kernel of the comparison is that France has a large and growing nuclear system that produces most of the country's electricity, little political resistance, electric rates that are among the lowest in Europe, and independence from the vicissitudes of the oil markets. By contrast, in the US there are widespread political resistance and unfavorable public opinion, uncertainty about future plans for nuclear energy, and a generally costly set of reactors that produce about 15% of the country's electricity. What is more, the relatively expensive American plants are often thought of to be less safe than their cheaper French counterparts. In attempting to explain the French success and the US failure, observers have been all too prone to single out as the root cause a particular political or economic factor that differs between the two countries. One of the major shortcomings of this approach is that there are a number of relevant differences, any of which could play a part in affecting the countries' nuclear programs and which may not be easily changed. Moreover, implicit in each explanation is a prescription for how to aid the ailing nuclear industry in the United States--a prescription that may well be questionable.
- OSTI ID:
- 7011283
- Journal Information:
- Resources; (United States), Vol. 89
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
FRANCE
NUCLEAR POWER
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
POLITICAL ASPECTS
USA
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
PUBLIC OPINION
ECONOMICS
EUROPE
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
NORTH AMERICA
POWER
WESTERN EUROPE
210800* - Nuclear Power Plants- Economics
290300 - Energy Planning & Policy- Environment
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