Why the French Love Nuclear Power
It’s easy to see why the French love nuclear power: while the enactment of the Messmer plan was surrounded in controversy and public debate, France has had a largely successful relationship with nuclear power.
Some specialists believe that nuclear energy’s popularity with the French people is a result of the French culture. Claude Mandil, the former General Director for Energy and Raw Materials at le Ministre d’Industrie claims that the French people’s desire for independence and self-suffiency is the main driving force behind nuclear energy’s success. Relying on foreign oil and its unreliability in terms of price and accessibility frightens the French people. A popular French answer to the use of nuclear power is, “no oil, no gas, no coal, no choice.”
The French government has also invested much time and many resources to advertise and promote France’s use of nuclear energy to the general public. Television advertising campaigns emphasize the relationship between nuclear energy and the electricity that makes modern comfort and life possible.
Some specialists believe that nuclear energy’s popularity with the French people is a result of the French culture. Claude Mandil, the former General Director for Energy and Raw Materials at le Ministre d’Industrie claims that the French people’s desire for independence and self-suffiency is the main driving force behind nuclear energy’s success. Relying on foreign oil and its unreliability in terms of price and accessibility frightens the French people. A popular French answer to the use of nuclear power is, “no oil, no gas, no coal, no choice.”
The French government has also invested much time and many resources to advertise and promote France’s use of nuclear energy to the general public. Television advertising campaigns emphasize the relationship between nuclear energy and the electricity that makes modern comfort and life possible.
Charismatic spokespeople have also greatly influenced not only how the French look at nuclear power, but how the international community perceives nuclear energy. No one person is more prolific than Anne Lauvergeon, also known as “Atomic Anne”. Lauvergeon served as the CEO of Areva, a French multinational group specializing in nuclear and renewable energy. Areva is the world’s largest nuclear company, with a presence in every single industrial activity linked to nuclear energy.
Its interests span mining, engineering, fuel assembly, chemistry, treatment, recycling, stabilization and dismantling. After the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster, Lauvergeon served as nuclear energy's largest proponent, publicly speaking on nuclear power's advantages.
Its interests span mining, engineering, fuel assembly, chemistry, treatment, recycling, stabilization and dismantling. After the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster, Lauvergeon served as nuclear energy's largest proponent, publicly speaking on nuclear power's advantages.
Anne Lauvergeon
A French scientist and businesswoman, Lauvergeon served as CEO for nuclear energy company Areva from 2001-2011. She is a prominent leader and has been named one of the most powerful women in the world from Forbes magazine. During the Fukushima incident, Lauvergeon was one of nuclear energy's most vocal supporters, and the biggest defendant for the French nuclear power industry.
Palfreman, Jon. "Why the French Like Nuclear Energy." PBS. PBS, 11 Apr. 1997. Web. 15 Nov. 2014. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/reaction/readings/french.html>.