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For Nuke Cues, Look to France

US could benefit much from French approach to nuclear power, Times columnist writes

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Jan 24, 2008 12:56 PM CST

(Newser) – Her name is Anne Lauvergeon, but because she’s spearheaded France’s nuclear revolution, commentators call her “Atomic Anne.” And the US desperately needs someone like her, writes the New York Times’ Roger Cohen. Thanks to Lauvergeon’s advocacy, France has thrown aside nuclear jitters, and now gets 80% of its electricity from nuclear plants—compared to 20% in the US.

Cohen knows that nuclear is still a dirty word in the US, evoking Chernobyl images and nuclear-waste worries, but with climate change escalating, we can’t keep getting 50% of our power from coal, Cohen says. Lauvergeon’s company is building newer, cheaper, lower-waste facilities, both in France and around the world, and the US should be a client. Vive les Nukes!

France's Areva Nuclear Power company CEO Anne Lauvergeon, sometimes called "Atomic Annie," shakes hands with China's Electricity Power Plant Company President Qian Zhimin in this file photo. (AP Photo/Francois... (Associated Press)

France's Areva nuclear company CEO Anne Lauvergeon, a.k.a. "Atomic Annie," speaks to the media in this file photo. (AP Photo/Francois Mori) (Associated Press)

France's Areva CEO Anne Lauvergeon, a.k.a. "Atomic Anne," attends a press conference in Beijing, China, Monday, Nov. 26, 2007. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) (Associated Press)

Picture taken 29 March 2007 in Cattenom, eastern France, shows the Cattenom nuclear power plant. (AFP PHOTO/JEAN-CHRISTOPHE VERHAEGEN) (Getty Images)

(Shutterstock)

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For Nuke Cues, Look to France

US could benefit much from French approach to nuclear power, Times columnist writes

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For Nuke Cues, Look to France

US could benefit much from French approach to nuclear power, Times columnist writes

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

climate change • nuclear power • coal • France • Chernobyl • Anne Lauvergeon • nuclear power plant • Atomic Anne

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Greenpeace Raids French Nuclear Plant

Incident shows building is 'vulnerable': activists

New Nuke Plants May Break the Bank

Prohibitive costs could run as high as $12B each

New Nuke Power Plant Pitched

Reactors for Texas utility first proposed in US in 3 decades

US OKs First Nuclear Reactors in 30 Years

Georgia plant gets approval to build two

Japan Kept Worst-Case Nuclear Fears Under Wraps

Fukushima report warned that all of Tokyo might need to be evacuated

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

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More News

What is Newser?