De Biasio Antony
Essay Pathos, Ethos, Logos
France wants to be a zero-carbon energy country, so it must persevere in the construction and
research of nuclear energy facilities. With 75% of its electricity production coming from nuclear power
and 58 reactors in operation, France is one of the most nuclear energy consuming countries in the
world and is investing in nuclear research to design smaller, more efficient reactors and also to try to
achieve nuclear fusion, which would be the ultimate renewable energy for mankind. Despite the many
criticisms of nuclear power, I will demonstrate that this type of energy is the most suitable for the
French territory.
It is true to say that nuclear energy is one of the safest energies currently available, according
to a 2013 study by NASA the number of deaths caused by the same amount of energy produced is the
lowest for nuclear energy in comparison of coal, oil or even solar energy. Indeed, most people think
of the damage caused by major nuclear disasters such as Chernobyl or Fukushima, which resulted in
several thousand deaths, whereas deaths from air pollution-related illnesses amount to a much higher
order of magnitude, several million each year. Moreover, nuclear power plants are among the most
regulated and secure technological systems in the world and particularly in France thanks to the
nuclear safety authority.
Furthermore, as an engineer who has studied nuclear physics, I can affirm that the operating
principle of nuclear fission energy used today does not pollute the atmosphere since only water
vapour is ejected from the reactor cooling towers. The life cycle of a nuclear power plant is much
longer than that of photovoltaic panels or wind turbines and the construction costs are lower, which
allows for a longer use of nuclear power plants and thus a greater compensation of the pollution
generated during their construction. Today's radioactive waste storage containers are designed to be
very effective in preventing soil contamination for several million years, and these claims are verified
by mechanical tests and physical simulations of the container materials.
It should not be forgotten that nuclear energy provides home comfort with a 24-hour, sevenday-a-week supply of electricity. The amount of energy supplied is constant over time, which prevents
power grid failures, especially in the event of large influxes or storms. Who would like to have
recurrent power cuts during weather events and have to light up with candles in winter temperatures?
Nuclear power plants provide full coverage of the French electricity grid and provide almost unlimited
electricity to ensure a comfortable life for all citizens of this developed country.
Finally, France is continuing to research and improve nuclear energy, notably by turning to
miniaturised fission reactors but also to nuclear fusion reactors. For example, we can mention the
experimental ITER project, which is currently the largest scientific project in the world in terms of its
complexity, budget and the number of engineers and countries involved. ITER is being built in the
south of France and will eventually allow the development of a thermonuclear fusion reactor to be
used as a large-scale unlimited energy source whose only fuel is water and whose only waste is also
water. It would also be cheaper to operate than a conventional nuclear fission plant. From a scientific
point of view I can say that the nuclear fusion reaction would stop if the water supply is cut off and so
could not be the cause of nuclear accidents.