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Comment by toyg | Hacker News Reader

It should be noted that nuclear is a significant export business for France, their companies routinely bid for contracts to build new plants elsewhere (UK etc). This is probably a significant factor in Macron's steering, considering the hunger for economic growth post-Covid.

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I commented more below, but you’re exactly right. This is an export product.

Basically a model home to show prospective buyers. France also makes a decent amount of money exporting its excess electricity.

An existing nuclear site, with permits, security and likely communitity support is a great place to retire some old and build some new reactors.

Except during hot summers or cold winters, when they often have to reduce the outputs of the reactors, and import huge amounts of solar and wind power from Germany.

You mean germany that turned a net importer of electricity in the summer of 2019? When the sun was shining brightly and the wind blowing?

Why do they have to do this? Are reactors affected by outside temperature difference of ±20 degrees centigrade?

They had to turn off a few reactors during the recent summer heatwaves because their environmental laws prevent them from heating rivers beyond a set point. But I don't think there was a technical issue, which may rather be caused by draught.

no. You reduce output if there's a surplus of other sources and the market conditions are unfavorable

mm Germany, famously reliant on renewable gas and coal

On a long enough timeline the gas and coal will renew itself.

No it won't because lignin can now be consumed by microorganisms.

I wish people did not downvote statements of fact.

FACT: June 2019 - summer for those that are unaware of the seasons. Germany net importer of electricity [1].

FACT: France is the largest exporter of electricity in Europe [2].

[1] https://www.cleanenergywire.org/news/germany-turns-electrici...

[2] https://www.enappsys.com/interconnectorreview/

That's a perfectly legitimate riposte. A straight downvote isn't.

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