The opening of the European Pressurized Reactor in Flamanville comes 12 years late on the initial schedule.

Summary

France’s Flamanville 3 nuclear reactor, its most powerful at 1,600 MW, was connected to the grid on December 21 after 17 years of construction plagued by delays and budget overruns.

The European Pressurized Reactor (EPR), designed to boost nuclear energy post-Chernobyl, is 12 years behind schedule and cost €13.2 billion, quadruple initial estimates.

President Macron hailed the launch as a key step for low-carbon energy and energy security.

Nuclear power, which supplies 60% of France’s electricity, is central to Macron’s plan for a “nuclear renaissance.”

  • @DavidDoesLemmy@aussie.zoneEnglish
    2•1 day ago

    Are you suggesting that delays don’t impact the cost? Or that the impact of those delays doesn’t account for the 4x budget overrun?

    I think it’s only one factor in the budget overrun, but still worth mentioning.

    • @Akasazh@feddit.nlEnglish
      1•1 day ago

      I’m not saying that. But saying that the only cause the project went over budget was over those protests is equally ridiculous, no?

        • @Akasazh@feddit.nlEnglish
          1•1 hour ago

          No that was the confusing aspect. /U/rottingleaf began a counter argument that kind of skewed your point. At first I thought it was you. But it became confrontational soon.

          I just wanted to put a mild argument in that if it went over budget by that far there must’ve been other reasons.