Nuclear Nostalgia

A few days ago, Der Spiegel revealed that the European Commission is supporting the development of new types of nuclear reactors, notably the building of a mini-reactor. The first one should be operational in 2030.

Don't worry. These reactors will not fit into eco-friendly cars to make them eventually independent of lithium batteries with low electrical storage capacity. These new reactors will, however, fulfill the need for scattered small energy units since nobody likes long overland cables to transport electricity. Nowadays, distributed small gas-operated power stations support the existing grid locally in cases where wind and solar energy are lacking.

The basic idea behind the new generation of reactors is to lower Europe's dependence on Russian gas. At the same time, CO₂ emissions are to be diminished in the European Union.

Red Baron shakes his head. While Germany will shut down its last power reactor in 2022, shall it schizophrenically support the development of new reactors simultaneously? On several occasions, I have fustigated the nuclear industry for the unsolved problem of the permanent safe storage of nuclear waste. The commissioning of new devices is not helpful.

Fessenheim nuclear power station at the Grand Canal d'Alsace (©Wikipedia/Florival)

Here in Freiburg, people are compassionate when nuclear energy is involved. The reason is: France's oldest operational power plant in Fessenheim is located in Alsace on the other side of the Rhine river. It is 1.5 kilometers from the German border and, in particular, 25 kilometers from Freiburg in the prominent westerly wind direction. The plant was commissioned in 1977 and is technologically outdated. It has no cooling towers but uses the water of the Grand Canal d'Alsace, a canal channeling the Upper Rhine River.

Fessenheim and Freiburg too close for comfort (©Wikipedia/Sebturner)

The Fessenheim plant in the Rhine Graben is subject to seismic activity and flooding risks. There is an ongoing debate about the adequacy of its design in these respects.

Although French President François Hollande had promised to shut-down Fessenheim in 2016, his environment minister and former companion Ségolène Royal ironically postponed the closing date to 2017. Does Ségolène have to settle an old score with François? Again, I can only shake my head.

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