“Macron wants to invest 1 billion euros in small reactors. During a heat wave, 4 out of 10 reactors are shut down. Why invest so much money in energy that is not resilient to climate change? “Just elected president of the parliamentary group La France rebellious in the National Assembly, Mathilde Panot was indignant on Tuesday at the nuclear component of Emmanuel Macron’s plan for France in 2030. One way of emphasizing that within the framework of presidential 2022, Jean-Luc Mélenchon promises to set up a ”
planned exit from nuclear energy “.
Macron wants to invest 1 billion euros in small reactors. During a heat wave, 4 out of 10 reactors are shut down. Why invest so much money in energy that is not resilient to climate change? Stubbornness in nuclear power is irresponsible! # France2030
– Mathilde Panot (@MathildePanot) October 12, 2021
Mathilde Panot’s assertion quickly sparked a debate on social networks. While the rebels defend the MP, opponents are indignant. “It is not because you repeat something several times that it will become the truth”, the apostrophe a Net surfer.
Is Mathilde Panot as “creative in fake news” as internet users claim? 20 minutes make the point.
FAKE OFF
The Insubordinate France team certainly read its sources a little too hastily. Contacted by 20 minutes, the deputy’s team indicates that Mathilde Panot’s statement is based on an article from the news site Reporterre entitled
“Weakened by drought and Covid, nuclear power needs coal”.
Published in September 2020, the article indicates that out of 56 reactors, 24 were “shut down” at the time. But the reasons for the shutdown are not limited to the heatwave, since “the drought, technical damage to EDF and the delay in maintenance operations due to Covid-19” are mentioned. As of September 24, 2020, 19 reactors were shut down for maintenance reasons, linked to an accumulated delay due to the first containment. Only six reactors out of 24 were on hiatus due to the drought and technical damage to EDF. Or 2.5 out of 10.
EDF told 20 minutes that “since 2000, production losses due to the high temperature of the rivers and the low flow of the rivers have represented on average 0.3% of the annual production of the park”.
Why are some nuclear reactors shut down in the event of extreme heat?
Indeed, a period of drought – and therefore very hot – “can lead to a drop in the level of the watercourse and its flow”, explains the Nuclear Safety Authority. “The operator [de la centrale] must ensure at all times that these remain sufficient to cool the safety systems. “
During a heat wave, reactors can also be put on hold to control “thermal discharges”. For each nuclear site that uses a watercourse to cool its reactors, ASN has defined a limit water temperature downstream of the plant. “If these limit values are exceeded, the operator must reduce the power of the reactor or shut it down. “