Much has been said about the benefits of French Nuclear power. What is not said is the key to the rest of the story. The short of it, the French are in trouble financially over the French Nuclear program . They have placed all their "power eggs" into the "one nuclear basket" and they are being crushed by economic conditions and nuclear accidents. A truth that America's Nuclear industry is attempting to hide.
"The myth of a successful nuclear power industry in France has melted into financial chaos.
With it dies the corporate-hyped poster child for a "nuclear renaissance" of new reactor construction that is drowning in red ink and radioactive waste."
The following fact sheet was compiled by Bill Reynolds of Chattanooga, Tn., a fellow Bellefonte Efficiency and Sustainability Team Member.
"French Nuclear Power – Hidden Problems Revealed"
What you hear and see in American mainstream media about nuclear power in France is created and controlled by the nuclear industry’s powerful, extremely well-organized and well-financed “public relations” campaign. They are out to sell you as many of their extremely expensive nuclear reactors [as] our government and largest electric power corporations will buy, with money collected from you and me. Their sales campaign has effectively brainwashed many of America’s elected officials into believing such things as French-style nuclear power is clean, safe, affordable, and has solved the problems of radioactive waste. So you hear this sales message of the nuclear industry not only from the mouths of the industry’s highly skilled and highly paid salesmen and lobbyists, but also from the mouths of a lot of America’s high ranking government officials. Meanwhile, the serious and dangerous problems in French nuclear power are covered up so you do not hear about those. Only research by real experts who look for the whole truth reveals the covered-up problems and dangers. The following accounts some big problems uncovered by those experts.
· On July 8, 2008, the AREVA1 subsidiary-operated Tricastin nuclear facility in France spilled uranium into two rivers that provided drinking and irrigation water to the local communities. On July 23, at least 100 workers were contaminated during an accident at one of the four reactors at the Tricastin site. On August 6, the French nuclear security agency (ASN) announced the same facility had also emitted unacceptable levels of Carbon-14 radioactive gas throughout June and July that year.
· In August, 2003, during a severe heat wave in France, Electricite de France (EDF) 2 was permitted to discharge cooling water at such high temperatures that it kills aquatic life by cooking it.
· The high level of French standardization in reactor design increases significantly the risk of costly and potentially dangerous generic faults. A recently discovered steam generator plugging issue is only one of the latest in a series of generic safety related problems.
· Tons of radioactive waste has accumulated in the area called La Hague on France’s west coast. The earliest [that] France’s government projects they will open a permanent nuclear waste repository is 2015. [We have substantial reason to doubt the reliability of this timeline projection because, after decades of trying, neither the U.S, France, nor any other nation in the world, has developed a single permanent disposal site.]
· France discharges 100 million gallons of radioactive waste per year into the English Channel. [!!] This waste has spread all the way from there to the Arctic. Twelve of fifteen western European countries have asked France to stop discharging this radioactivity into the sea and France refuses to comply.
· France has long been extracting plutonium from spent nuclear power plant fuel rods using the so-called “reprocessing” technology. France’s reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel does NOT “recycle” the spent fuel because only about 1% of the spent fuel becomes new fuel for reactors. The other 99% remains radioactive waste that must be kept in extremely secure storage to protect the public from being harmed. (Go to
http://www.ieer.org/ for further technical info about French rad waste.)
· Reprocessing extracts plutonium & uranium from spent fuel. Plutonium is the fuel in atomic and hydrogen bombs. Only one-millionth of a gram of plutonium can cause cancer. Reprocessing operations release dangerous levels of radioactivity into the surrounding environment, contaminating workers at the plants. Reprocessing creates millions of gallons of intensely corrosive acidic radioactive liquid waste.
· A significant number of France’s population have been protesting against elements of their nation’s nuclear power industry since 1987. Access to information on nuclear issues has been restricted in France. A 2007 study revealed that 59% of French citizens were in favor of a reduction of nuclear in their national energy sources. In a 2008 poll, 82% of French citizens “totally agree” or “tended to agree” with the statement “THERE IS NO SAFE WAY OF GETTING RID OF HIGH LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE.”
1. AREVA, a world-leading nuclear power development corporation, is more than 90% owned by the French State. AREVA has a record of mismanagement and its financial security is plummeting.
2. EDF is the largest nuclear developer in the world. It is a French-state controlled conglomerate. EDF is the main electricity generation and distribution company in France.
Police Chief Ralph Dawe makes difficult decisions in his daily duties as our Police Chief. Chief Dawe worked many hours to insure our new Justice Center reflects the professionalism that is the watchword of our Police Department.
A renovated City Court Room is bright and spacious even with most of the lights out, impressive.
The City Jail has been renovated with modern cells and security in order that all activities of inmates may be viewed. This assures the safety and security of inmates and officers. Separate facilities for female and male prisoners are present. A secure visitor and prisoner communications area was built. The new City Jail facility is impressive and it is obvious much professional planning went into the design.
The reception area of the new Justice Complex is large, bright and impressive. Security for all is of the utmost importance in this new facility.
Our new Scottsboro Police Department will serve the citizens of Scottsboro for many years into the 21st Century and beyond. 
PRIDE is reflected in our new Scottsboro Police Department and Justice Center. A building is just a building regardless of how wonderful and great the appearance. Scottsboro's new Police Station and Justice Center Complex is fitting for our professional, dedicated Peace Officers and City Court officials. This Justice Center serves as a symbol of warning to criminals and is a source of PRIDE for the citizens of our community. May God Bless all of our Peace Officers who place their lives on the line daily so that all citizens may enjoy the benefits of our Republic. (photos by Garry Morgan)
PRIDE is reflected in our new Scottsboro Police Department and Justice Center. A building is just a building regardless of how wonderful and great the appearance. Scottsboro's new Police Station and Justice Center Complex is fitting for our professional, dedicated Peace Officers and City Court officials. This Justice Center serves as a symbol of warning to criminals and is a source of PRIDE for the citizens of our community. May God Bless all of our Peace Officers who place their lives on the line daily so that all citizens may enjoy the benefits of our Republic. (photos by Garry Morgan)
