Bowing to Swiss, German pressure, France vows to close its oldest nuclear plant this year
Source: Agence France-Presse, Jiji Press
France is to close down its oldest nuclear power plant, at the center of a row with neighboring Germany and Switzerland, by the end of this year, a green minister said Sunday.
“The timeline is one the president has repeated to me several times, it’s 2016,” said Emmanuelle Cosse, who was named to President Francois Hollande’s Cabinet last month, referring to the Fassenheim plant.
Cosse was speaking to French media after a row sparked Friday when Germany demanded that France close down Fassenheim following reports that a 2014 incident there was worse than earlier portrayed.
<snip>
In September, Hollande said Fessenheim, in operation since 1977, would not be shut this year, contrary to a 2012 campaign promise, because of delays in completion of a new plant in northern Flamanville.
<snip>
Read more: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/03/07/world/politics-diplomacy-world/bowing-swiss-german-pressure-france-vows-close-oldest-nuclear-plant-year/
= new reply since forum marked as read
The emergency action meant they had to shut down one reactor by inserting boron into the reactor's cooling system. The chemical boron is used to control the energy released in a nuclear reactor. Boron control rods absorb neutrons, so fewer are available to split uranium nuclei. This process, tantamount to "pulling an emergency brake" on a reactor, was ommitted from France's official version of events...
/... http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/germany-demands-france-close-its-oldest-nuclear-power-plant-after-water-leak-found-1547763
[center]
[/center]