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How France achieved the world's fastest nuclear buildout

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In the 1970s, the golden age of nuclear energy appeared to be coming to an end. Sharply escalating costs, regulatory upheaval, and public opposition had made industry boasts of electricity ‘too cheap to meter’ seem increasingly hubristic. After peaking in 1973, new US nuclear reactor orders would drop to zero in 1979, despite the oil shocks leading to a doubling of electricity prices in the intervening years. Meanwhile, poor design and planning resulted in the UK’s advanced gas reactor program running 50 percent over budget and years behind schedule. France stands out as an exception. As much of the world was retrenching, France’s nuclear ambitions were accelerating. The construction of 37 of the 57 reactors currently operating in France began during the 1970s. Today, France has largely decarbonized its grid: 94 percent of French electricity is generated from low-carbon sources, with 70 percentage points of that coming from nuclear power. Subscribe for $100 to receive six beautiful 120

In the 1970s, the golden age of nuclear energy appeared to be coming to an end. Sharply escalating costs, regulatory upheaval, and public opposition had made industry boasts of electricity ‘too cheap to meter’ seem increasingly hubristic. After peaking in 1973, new US nuclear reactor orders would drop to zero in 1979, despite the oil shocks leading to a doubling of electricity prices in the intervening years. Meanwhile, poor design and planning resulted in the UK’s advanced gas reactor program running 50 percent over budget and years behind schedule. France stands out as an exception. As much

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