France Reaffirms Its Faith in Future of Nuclear Power

[wtmusic]

"FLAMANVILLE, France — It looks like an ordinary building site, but for the two massive, rounded concrete shells looming above the ocean, like dusty mushrooms.

The building of the reactor has helped revive Flamaville.

Here on the Normandy coast, France is building its newest nuclear reactor, the first in 10 years, costing $5.1 billion. But already, President Nicolas Sarkozy has announced that France will build another like it.

Flamanville is a vivid example of the French choice for nuclear power, made in the late 1950s by Charles de Gaulle, intensified during the oil shocks of the 1970s and maintained despite the nightmarish nuclear accidents of Three Mile Island and Chernobyl."

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/17/world/europe/17francenuke.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

[gateley]

1. France! McCain's new favorite country! nt

[Oerdin]

2. Great news for the people of France.

While the US continues to dream of energy independence while actually sinking further and further into dependence France has actually made concrete steps to secure their future. 80% of their energy is from nuclear and completely carbon free. That's great.

[Howzit]

8. "concrete steps "

Nuclear power stations sure use a lot of concrete in their construction. Do you know how much CO2 is released in the making of cement? How long does it take to amortize these emissions?

That said, I'm not anti nuke.

[kristopher]

3. And in other late breaking news...

Dick Cheney reaffirms his faith in petroleum

Stating that the world energy situation is only a temporary blip induced by the rapidity of rising demand, Deadeye Dick notes that the temporarily escalating price only proves what a wonderful asset petroleum is to human culture.
"The lifeblood of our culture is oil. The environmentalist conspiracy to destroy our country is obvious and will ultimately fail as we bring more wells in to increase production. We have a world population that is soon going to be 8 billion people and I'm confident we can provide for their energy needs easily with clean, safely drilled petroleum" said Cheney. "When the doomsday tales of pollution proved false they switched to the even more unbelievable tall tale that CO2 is a problem. Hell, plants breathe CO2 and the more of it we make the better it is for the farmers. It's a natural cycle, the more people we have using gasoline, the easier it becomes to feed them."



And on a serious note:
The reality of France's aggressive nuclear power push

"...Unfortunately, Sarkozy's strategy risks contributing to the steady erosion of an international nonproliferation regime "on the brink of collapse." Moreover, France has a devastatingly poor nonproliferation record, having supplied nuclear assistance to most of the official and unofficial nuclear weapon states around the world. The Israeli bomb program was based on French technology, as was the Iraqi nuclear effort and the South African nuclear program. French companies continue to assist Pakistan and India, which have both used civilian nuclear facilities and materials for military purposes.

The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran still holds 40 percent of the joint French-Iranian consortium Sofidif, which maintains a 25-percent interest in Eurodif, a multinational uranium enrichment group that operates a gaseous diffusion plant in southern France. Currently, the dividends are frozen due to international restrictions over Iran's contested uranium enrichment program, but tens of millions of Iranian Euros are piling up in French banks as a result of the Shah's profitable 1974 investment in French uranium enrichment.

French officials are proud of their country's place as the world's leading nuclear energy state. Kouchner maintains, "Thirty years ago, France made the choice of nuclear . It was the price its independence, its prosperity, its freedom. . . .Today, we have a degree of energy autonomy that profits every French . The cost of our electricity is the lowest in the world and our economy is one of the cleanest in terms of carbon emissions."

Independence, prosperity, freedom--this is strong stuff. And, of course, Kouchner does not forget to point out the price of oil, which "reaches summits and continues to climb."

But is he correct? For starters, he makes a convenient mistake--mixing up the words "electricity" and "energy." In 2007, nuclear energy provided 78 percent of France's electricity, which corresponded to 39 percent of its commercial primary energy but only 18 percent of its final energy. Primary energy is the energy contained in the fuel when it enters the system, while final energy is what is left over for the consumer after processing, transformation, and distribution. In the case of large nuclear or coal-fired power plants, only about one-quarter of the primary energy reaches the consumer's home, office, or factory. In France, more than 70 percent of final energy is provided by oil, gas, and coal, of which one-half is oil alone, just as in many other countries. This year, the country will face an all-time record energy bill of more than $80 billion.

If the goal was independence from oil, then the target should have been the transportation sector. Already the largest consumer of oil in the early 1970s, oil consumption has increased by 70 percent, far outstripping the oil savings from nuclear energy's growth in the electricity sector. Today, transportation is responsible for more than one-half of French oil consumption and one-third of the country's greenhouse gas emissions. With all of the country's uranium now imported as well--the last French uranium mine closed in May 2001, even though nuclear power is curiously still considered an entirely domestic energy source--it's difficult to see how the nuclear program could even come close to ensuring the country's energy independence.

Further claims that French nuclear power costs are "the lowest in the world" can't be substantiated because nobody knows the cost of the entire domestic nuclear program. For decades, the civilian program has profited from direct and indirect subsidies, in particular through cross-financing with the nuclear weapons program. Current estimates don't appropriately take into account eventual decommissioning and waste-management costs, which remain a concern and quite uncertain. (In addition to post-fission waste, 46 years of uranium mining has left 50 million tons of waste for eventual cleanup and remediation, the cost of which is unknown.) Official final disposal cost estimates for long-lived high- and intermediate-level fission wastes vary between $21 billion and $90 billion.

Still, fantastic claims about the benefits of French nuclear power persist... "
http://www.thebulletin.org/web-edition/features/the-reality-of-frances-aggressive-nuclear-power-push


About the source:
From The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists http://www.thebulletin.org/content/about-us/purpose

Purpose

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists informs the public about threats to the survival and development of humanity from nuclear weapons, climate change, and emerging technologies in the life sciences. Through an award-winning magazine, our online presence, and the Doomsday Clock, we reach policy leaders and audiences around the world with information and analysis about efforts to address the dangers and prevent catastrophe. With fellowships for students and awards to young journalists, we help educate the next generation.

History

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists was established in 1945 by scientists, engineers, and other experts who had created the atomic bomb as part of the Manhattan Project. They knew about the horrible effects of these new weapons and devoted themselves to warning the public about the consequences of using them. Those early scientists also worried about military secrecy, fearing that leaders might draw their countries into increasingly dangerous nuclear confrontations without the full consent of their citizens.

[Kolesar]

9. There are no great energy sources for transportation except walking to the market, school and work

Battery electrics are not ready, hydrogen is a joke, electrified train systems cost huge amounts in infrastructure and cannot reach every neigborhood.

Good info on France's pathetic record of nuclear proliferation !

[bananas]

4. France's environment minister says nuclear will shrink as a proportion of the French energy mix

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/bananas/578

France's environment minister says nuclear will shrink as a proportion of the French energy mix

Posted by bananas in Environment/Energy
Tue Jul 08th 2008, 10:19 PM

http://www.forbes.com/afxnewslimited/feeds/afx/2008/07/04/afx5183900.html

France's Borloo says 2nd EPR 'marginal' for electricity production
07.04.08, 5:03 AM ET

PARIS (Thomson Financial) - France's second European pressurised water nuclear power reactor, proposed by President Nicolas Sarkozy on Thursday, would be 'marginal' for electricity production, Jean-Louis Borloo, the environment minister, said on France Inter radio.

'One EPR more or less, it will not fundamentally change French electricity production. It is an idea, but in the end it is fairly marginal. Proportionally, even with this announcement, nuclear will shrink as a proportion of the French energy mix.

'We are perhaps on the eve of a revolution in electricity. If tomorrow cars are nearly all electric, we will need to produce electricity and we won't do it with coal-fired power plants which aggravate the greenhouse effect.

'On the other hand, more than doubling renewable energy will change the French energy mix, and reducing energy demand by 20 or 30 percent, as is the target, making energy savings, investing massively in energy savings, that is certainly a good idea,' Borloo said.

<not much more>

[OKIsItJustMe]

5. reading on… "For all the happy talk in France, however, there are continuing doubts and confusion…"

…

For all the happy talk in France, however, there are continuing doubts and confusion about nuclear power, accentuated by a series of accidents and alerts in July. At a nuclear plant in Tricastin, in Provence, 163 pounds of untreated uranium in liquid leaked from a faulty tank during a draining operation, seeping into the ground and then into rivers that flow into the Rhône.

While the two-year-old Authority for Nuclear Security, an independent body overseeing civilian nuclear activities, called it a category one (out of seven) incident that posed no health risk, the local prefect banned fishing, irrigation, swimming and the use of well water. The ban lasted 14 days, and the government criticized Areva, the nuclear group that is mostly state-owned, for not informing local authorities quickly or adequately. The treatment station, which was old, was being replaced, and remains shut.

Other minor accidents occurred in quick succession: a burst underground pipe at another site north of Tricastin, which leaked a tiny amount of uranium inside plant grounds, and then another accident at Tricastin itself, when 100 employees were contaminated by radioactive particles that escaped from a pipe.

The government, Areva and EDF have played down the accidents. Mr. Borloo said there were 86 category-one nuclear incidents in France in 2007 and 114 in 2006. Mr. Borloo’s aide, pointing to the Authority for Nuclear Security, said the Tricastin “microevent” showed that “our system of security is extremely responsive and transparent, and that the media and public opinion needed a training period to understand how the system of nuclear security works in France.”

…

[wtmusic]

6. Doubts and confusion, based on doubts and confusion

Tricastin groundwater uranium levels receded to 5 micrograms/liter within a month.

You eat and drink about 4 micrograms of naturally-occurring uranium every day.

[kristopher]

7. Hmmm. And the meaning you take away from that claim is....?

* You are here: EPA Home
* Air & Radiation
* TTN Web - Technology Transfer Network
* Air Toxics Web site
* Radionuclides (including Radon, Radium and Uranium)

Radionuclides (including Radon, Radium and Uranium)
Hazard Summary-Created in April 1992; Revised in January 2000

Uranium, radium, and radon are naturally occurring radionuclides found in the environment. No information is available on the acute (short-term) noncancer effects of the radionuclides in humans. Animal studies have reported inflammatory reactions in the nasal passages and kidney damage from acute inhalation exposure to uranium. Chronic (long-term) inhalation exposure to uranium and radon in humans has been linked to respiratory effects, such as chronic lung disease, while radium exposure has resulted in acute leukopenia, anemia, necrosis of the jaw, and other effects. Cancer is the major effect of concern from the radionuclides. Radium, via oral exposure, is known to cause bone, head, and nasal passage tumors in humans, and radon, via inhalation exposure, causes lung cancer in humans. Uranium may cause lung cancer and tumors of the lymphatic and hematopoietic tissues. EPA has not classified uranium, radon or radium for carcinogenicity.

Please Note: The main sources of information for this fact sheet are EPA's Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), which contains information on oral chronic toxicity and the RfD for uranium, and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry's (ATSDR's) Toxicological Profiles for Uranium, Radium, and Radon.
Uses

* Uranium is used in nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons. Very small amounts are used in photography for toning, in the leather and wood industries for stains and dyes, and in the silk and wood industries. (2)
* Radium is used as a radiation source for treating neoplastic diseases, as a radon source, in radiography of metals, and as a neutron source for research. (3)
* Radon is used for treating malignant tumors and for experimental studies. (4)

Sources and Potential Exposure

* Uranium-238, a radioactive metal, is present in rocks, soil, and throughout the environment. Uranium-238 decays to form radium-226, which has a half-life of 1,600 years. Radium-226 then decays to form radon-222 gas, which has a half-life of 3.8 days. (1)
* Exposure to uranium can occur through the air, with an average daily intake estimated to be 0.0007 to 0.007 picocuries per day (pCi/d.). Higher levels of exposure generally occur through food consumption, with average levels of 0.6 to 1.0 pCi/d, or through the drinking water, with average levels of 0.6 to 1.0 pCi/d. (3)
* Radium is found in soil, water, plants, and food at low concentrations. The greatest potential for human exposure to radium is through drinking water, where levels are usually less than 1 picocurie per liter (pCi/L) but higher levels (>5 pCi/L) have been detected. (3)
* The major source of radon exposure is through inhalation, with background levels in ambient air of approximately 0.1 to 0.4 pCi/L. Higher levels of radon are frequently present in indoor locations, such as homes, schools, or office buildings. Indoor radon levels measured in one study showed a mean level of 1.6 pCi/L. Studies have shown that 1-3% of single-family homes may exceed 8 pCi/L. (4)
* People who work at factories that process uranium, work with phosphate fertilizers, or live near uranium mines have a greater chance of being exposed to higher levels of uranium, radium, and radon than the general population. (2)

Assessing Personal Exposure

* Uranium, radium, and radon can be measured in the urine, and there is a test to measure the total amount of radioactivity in the body. In addition, there is a test that measures the rate of elimination of radium and radon in exhaled breath. (2-4)

Health Hazard Information
Acute Effects:

* No information is available on the acute effects of uranium, radium, or radon in humans. (2-4)
* Animal studies have reported inflammatory reactions in the nasal passages and kidney damage from acute inhalation exposure to uranium. (2)
* Acute animal tests in rats, mice, and guinea pigs, have shown uranium to have low to moderate toxicity from inhalation exposure and high toxicity from oral exposure. (2)

Chronic Effects (Noncancer):

* Several studies have found no increased deaths in uranium workers due to kidney disease, however, one study of uranium mill workers chronically exposed to uranium showed kidney disfunction. (2)
* Animal studies have reported effects on the kidney from chronic inhalation and oral exposure to uranium. (2)
* EPA has not established a Reference Concentration (RfC) for uranium (soluble salts or natural). (5,6)
* ATSDR has established a chronic inhalation minimal risk level (MRL) of 0.0003 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3) for uranium (soluble salts) based on renal tubule lesions in dogs. The MRL is an estimate of the daily human exposure to a hazardous substance that is likely to be without appreciable risk of adverse noncancer health effects over a specified duration of exposure. Exposure to a level above the MRL does not mean that adverse health effects will occur. The MRL is intended to serve as a screening tool. (2)
* The Reference Dose (RfD) for uranium (soluble salts) is 0.003 milligrams per kilogram body weight per day (mg/kg/d) based on body weight loss and moderate nephrotoxicity in rabbits. The RfD is an estimate (with uncertainty spanning perhaps an order of magnitude) of a daily oral exposure to the human population (including sensitive subgroups) that is likely to be without appreciable risk of deleterious noncancer effects during a lifetime. It is not a direct estimator of risk but rather a reference point to gauge the potential effects. At exposures increasingly greater than the RfD, the potential for adverse health effects increases. Lifetime exposure above the RfD does not imply that an adverse health effect would necessarily occur. (6)
* EPA has medium confidence in the study on which the RfD was based since it was well designed, but used a small number of experimental animals; medium confidence in the database because there are adequate studies on the effects of uranium in various species; and, consequently, medium confidence in the RfD. (6)
* Chronic exposure to radium in humans, by inhalation, has resulted in acute leukopenia, while oral exposure has resulted in anemia, necrosis of the jaw, abscess of the brain, and terminal bronchopneumonia. (3)
* Chronic exposure to radon in humans and animals via inhalation has resulted in respiratory effects (chronic lung disease, pneumonia, fibrosis of the lung, decreased lung function), while animal studies have also reported effects on the blood and a decrease in body weights. (4)
* EPA has not established an RfC or an RfD for radium or radon. (7,8)

Reproductive/Developmental Effects:

* Limited evidence from epidemiological studies suggests that uranium or radon exposure may result in a decreased ratio of live male to female births in humans. However, it is not certain if the effect is from uranium or radon exposure because the workers were also exposed to other compounds (2,4)
* Animal studies have reported reduced number of offspring, reduced fetal body weight and length, and an increase in skeletal malformations from oral exposure to uranium in animals. (2)
* No information is available on the developmental or reproductive effects of radium in humans or animals. (3)

Cancer Risk:

* Radium and radon are potent human carcinogens. Radium, via oral exposure, is known to cause lung, bone, head (mastoid air cells), and nasal passage tumors. Radon, via inhalation exposure, causes lung cancer. (3,4)
* Smokers exposed to radon are at greater risk for lung cancer (approximately 10 to 20 times) than are nonsmokers similarly exposed. (1)
* Studies in uranium miners have shown an increase in lung cancer and tumors of the lymphatic and hematopoietic tissues from inhalation exposure. However, it is not known whether the cancer risk is from uranium itself, or from radon or other confounding factors. (2)
* EPA has not classified radium, radon or uranium for carcinogenicity. (2-4)

Physical Properties

* Natural uranium is a silver-colored radioactive metal that contains three forms (isotopes) of uranium: uranium-234, uranium-235, and uranium-238. The amount of uranium-238 in natural uranium is more than 99 percent, but the uranium-234, present at 0.005 percent in natural uranium, accounts for half of the radioactivity. (2)
* The chemical symbol for uranium is U, and it has an atomic weight of 238.03 g/mol. (2)
* Radium is a naturally occuring silvery-white radioactive metal formed when uranium decays in the environment. (3)
* The chemical symbol for radium is Ra, and it has an atomic weight of 226.03 g/mol. (3)
* Radon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, radioactive gas that is formed from the radioactive decay of uranium. (1,4)
* The chemical symbol for radon is Rn, and it has an atomic weight of 222 g/mol. (4)

Conversion Factors:
For uranium: 1 µg = 0.72 pCi.

http://www.epa.gov/ttnatw01/hlthef/radionuc.html