Half the French Nuclear Fleet is down

Strategically, this seems like it matters.

The French nuclear power plants are the backbone of the EU grid, but this winter, just when Europe is trying to not-buy-Russian-Gas, the French might need to import power instead of export it.

France runs off 70% nuclear power — it’s highest proportion in the world, and the second largest fleet — after the USA. For some reason, known only to international bankers or Renewable Gods, Early in Macron’s reign, he decided to reduce the carbon-free reliable nukes to just 50% by 2035 and fill the gap with short-lived, unreliable generators that cost a lot, need storage, backup, rare metals from China and slave labor from the Congo. Perhaps he was afraid (or whoever it was that helped him get elected) that France would show up all the schmuck-countries going to renewables?

But then the gas crisis started in Europe last October, and like clockwork, in November President Macron muttered the words “energy independence” and belatedly announced that it wasn’t such a bad idea to build some new nuclear plants. As things got more serious, in late February the French nuclear safety authority decided to extend the life of the 32 oldest reactors for another ten years and  is now planning to retire them at age 50.

Bu by the end of April 27 nuclear reactors were out of action. Odd cracks had been discovered in five reactors last year due to corrosion and that had expanded to six more plants. A couple of weeks ago another one was taken off-line — so that’s 28 out 56 of EDF’s reactors. And some of these are slow repairs. There are already worries that there won’t be enough back in time for winter to keep the lights on in France without expensive imports during an energy crisis.

Interestingly, the plants that unexpectedly need maintenance are the newer ones with “convoluted pipes”. Prices of electricity are already higher in France.  Don’t let anyone tell you the old plants are the cause of the rise!

h/t Notalotofpeopleknowthat

France’s Nuclear Shutdown Hits 50% of Reactors, Squeezing Supply

Jesper Starn Bloomberg

Twenty-eight reactors are offline as Electricite de France SA struggles with extended outages after corrosion issues were found at some sites, requiring lengthy checks and repairs. The extra works come on top of already scheduled halts for refueling and regular maintenance, and has brought French nuclear output to the lowest in more than decade for the time of year.

French Nuclear output MW

Bloomberg https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-29/half-of-french-nuclear-fleet-is-shut-for-works-squeezing-supply

Western Europe has for decades relied on exports of power from EDF’s nuclear fleet. The cuts are another blow to European energy security just as the region is weaning itself off Russian supplies of everything from natural gas to coal and oil because of the war in Ukraine.

EDF Sees Bigger Earnings Hit as It Cuts Nuclear Outlook

The big test will come when temperatures start to fall toward the end of the year. It won’t take many days of cold weather to jeopardize French power supplies, according to Emeric de Vigan, chief executive officer at French energy analysis firm COR-e.

“Which such poor nuclear availability, if we reach 2 degrees Celsius below normal in the winter for a few days we could be in trouble, it would be really tight,” de Vigan said. Paying customers and factories to lower consumption are steps that likely will need to be taken, he said.

The problem is with the new reactors not the old ones

Perhaps the designers got a bit too tricky?

EDF’s newer reactors seem to be most affected because of the design of some of their piping, which is longer and more convoluted, Clement said. The cracks tend to show up very close to welds at the pipes’ elbows, most likely because of a vortex of hot and cold water, and possibly because of how the welds were done.

Europe’s Biggest Exporter of Power Might Need Imports in Winter

The challenges for the utility are now so great that President Emmanuel Macron has suggested some of its key activities could be nationalized as part of a broader plan to bolster the country’s energy independence.

At least he’s not proposing to give control to the EU or the UN. It could be worse.

9.9 out of 10 based on 83 ratings

189 comments to Half the French Nuclear Fleet is down

  • #
    Lindsay Phillips

    Good morning Jo,
    You never fail to deliver the goods!!
    Great expose by your good self, & of course Paul Homewood also.
    This (Euro.) winter could quite possibly bebe the beginning of the end of “The great European Green Pyramid Scheme”!!
    Lord knows you & I (& tens of thousands of enlightened Aussies) have been waiting long enough for it!!
    Together with the mid-terms in the US. in November, hopefully we can all truly be drinking many celebratory “sherbets” on both counts between now & Xmas.
    As always, warm regards, reformed warmest of Logan!

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    • #

      The trouble is that the international elite will never admit they were wrong and will throw any amount of taxpayers money at proving that green energy is a great idea because they thought of it.

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      • #
        MrGrimNasty

        Yep, our hapless national politicians and their global elite puppet masters will simply blame external events, never admit it’s a long term energy policy disaster of their own making.

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        • #

          True, but certain things must be done to keep the lights on. They will be done.

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          • #
            Pater C

            6 months should be enough time to fix some pipes in the power stations.
            They should start fixing them now.

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            • #
              RickWill

              It will likely take a few months to work out why the welds are failing. It will take more months to work out changes that will endure. There will be more months to establish safe work procedures. Then a few months to undertake the repairs. Maybe 12 months unless they already have the fix from previous failures.

              Nothing done in a nuclear power plant is done quickly and easily.

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              • #
                Lance

                In steam Power Piping, if problems occur at bends, it requires a metallurgical analysis of the welds, the bend walls, and a thorough review of the supports and thermal history of the operating conditions. Welds or their pre/post heat treatment can reveal quality issues. Problems at the bend walls are usually a result of poor steam quality control such that liquid droplets form and reach sonic velocity, thereby eroding the bend exterior radius walls. If the piping was installed such that the ends are essentially “pinned” or rigid, then the welds go into excessive bending between cold and hot linear dimensions which causes the welds to go into bending, which can cause cracks. If the steam temperature is cyclically fluctuating ( too frequent ramp up and down cycles ) then the welds can be subject to cyclic fatigue failure. This is usually a control system problem or a manual over ride issue that causes an off-design number of thermal cycles sufficient to induce cyclic fatigue bending failure of the welds. As you say, this won’t be done quickly. It has to be done correctly or every effort is a waste of time. Probably a 6 to 9 month endeavour.

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            • #
              RickWill

              Peter
              This is from the ADF site:

              The first phase of the control program integrating the lessons learned from the expert appraisals carried out on Civaux 1 and 2 and Penly 1 has been finalized.

              The checks carried out on the Chooz 1 reactor having shown results similar to those of Chooz 2, the forecast date for reconnection to the reactor’s electrical network is 31/12/2022.

              Given the results of the appraisals carried out on Penly 1 since mid-January, the forecast date for reconnection to the reactor’s electrical network is 31/10/2022.

              In order to guard against the presence of faults in the piping of circuits important for the safety of the installations, the maintenance programs for the French nuclear fleet provide for the performance of checks, during each ten-year visit, in the form of Non-Destructive Examinations (END ) manual (ultrasound or x-ray).

              On December 15, EDF indicated in a press release that it had detected, during the second ten-year inspection of reactor no. 1 at Civaux, damage to the stainless steel of a portion of piping on the lines of the safety injection circuit.

              The ultrasonic checks carried out on this circuit revealed faults near two welds located upstream and downstream of a bend on the four lines comprising the safety injection circuit. No defect had been identified during the checks carried out during the first ten-year period in 2011.

              EDF proceeded to cut out the sections of pipes concerned and the expertise, carried out in the laboratory, made it possible to confirm that the defects observed on the Civaux 1 reactor are linked to a degradation mechanism which simultaneously involves the material and its intrinsic characteristics. , the mechanical stresses to which it is subjected and the nature of the fluid circulating therein. This is a phenomenon known in the industry and called “stress corrosion”. It can be detected by carrying out specific ultrasonic checks, such as those carried out preventively by EDF during the ten-yearly inspections of its reactors.

              Checks were initiated on the same equipment in reactor no. 2 at the Civaux nuclear power plant and revealed similar faults.
              The four reactors of the Chooz (Ardennes) and Civaux power plants use the same technology and constitute the N4 level of the French nuclear fleet. As a responsible industrialist and as a precautionary measure, EDF has therefore decided to shut down the two reactors of the Chooz power plant, in order to carry out these same checks as a preventive measure.

              During these inspections, a defect was detected on a section of pipework in Chooz B reactor no. 2 and the assessments will be extended to other areas.

              Checks are still in progress on the Chooz B1 reactor.

              Furthermore, on the occasion of the third ten-year inspection of reactor No. 1 of the Penly power plant, which is currently taking place, an indication was identified near a weld, on a section of pipework of one of the four lines that the safety injection system has.
              The in-depth examinations carried out in the laboratory showed the presence of defects similar to those detected at Civaux: the cracking mechanism diagnosed is stress corrosion, but the defects assessed on Penly 1 are however less deep than those of Civaux 1.
              Solutions for replacing or repairing the portions of piping affected by the damage phenomenon are currently being examined. They will be implemented on a case-by-case basis, depending on the conclusions of the inspections, in order to guarantee the safety of the facilities.

              Therefore, in order to carry out all of this work, the durations of the outages of the reactors concerned are modified as follows:
              – The forecast date for reconnection to the electrical network of the Civaux 1 reactor is August 31, 2022;
              – The provisional date for reconnection to the electricity network of the Chooz B1 reactor is July 27, 2022; – The provisional date for reconnection to the electrical network of the Chooz B2 and Civaux 2 reactors is
              on December 31, 2022;
              – The provisional date for reconnection to the electricity network of the Penly 1 reactor is May 30, 2022.

              The duration of the outages of the Civaux 1 and 2, Chooz 1 and 2, Penly 1 reactors is likely to be extended depending on the results of the checks and the work to be carried out.

              An unclassified significant safety event (level 0 INES scale) was notified to the Nuclear Safety Authority by the Civaux and Penly power plants.

              The development of the inspection program for the entire nuclear fleet is continuing, gradually integrating the lessons learned from the first appraisals carried out.

              This information note will be updated according to the results of these checks and expertise.

              A major player in the energy transition, the EDF group is an international energy company

              Such problems are not unlike recall on motor vehicle fleets due to safety concerns. But this shows the complexity in identify the problem and determining a suitable fix.

              These are the sort of issues that cause wind turbines to fall over. Their maintenance is not viewed quite so critical as nuclear plants.

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              • #
                RickWill

                The fact that they are inspecting for faults in these locations means that the design would have considered the issues. It has taken 20 years for the issue to show up.

                Stress corrosion cracking is a common issue in industrial process plant and can be a challenge for metallurgists to find the best material, element design and welding procedure to avoid recurring issues.

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              • #
                Peter C

                They are doing a 10 year inspection of the pipes and welds.

                Surely a temporary fix can be made that can last 12 months, to get them over the winter?

                00

              • #
                OldGreyGuy

                Replying to Peter C #1.1.1.1.2

                Currently it is spring/summer in the northern hemisphere.

                00

        • #
          Dennis

          It would be fun to watch a journalist ask the new Minister here to explain how electricity is generated using coal.

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          • #

            Minister, I was wondering, could you explain how electrical power is generated from coal?

            I’m sorry, at press conferences for this Labor Government, we only take questions from Union affiliated journalists.

            Tony.

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      • #
        Bruce

        “….because they thought of it.”

        And, as always, the SPILLAGE.

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      • #
        DLK

        The trouble is that the international elite will never admit they were wrong and will throw any amount of taxpayers money at proving that green energy is a great idea because they thought of it.

        they won’t admit they were wrong because the planned the whole thing as an orchestrated collapse.
        why do you think the WEF has around 50% ‘penetration’ of the governments of the west

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        • #
          DLK

          50% ‘penetration’

          to clarify:
          klaus: over 50% of the Canadian cabinet are WEF members.
          so the inference is it is similar in other western countries as well.

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  • #

    Getting better all the time! A fossil fueled building boom may flow from this growing mess. Voters need their juice.

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    • #
      Jojodogfacedboy

      Seems like alot of fingers are in the dikes when quality is compromised and the flaws start to burst this Electric Vehicle bubble and not getting recharged by having no electricity at all.

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    • #
      Plain Jane

      Doest look like being “voters” matters much any more as a) its not the voted making most of the decisions or having influence and b) dont think the outcome of supposed elections has much to do with what voters want around the world any more.

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    • #
      Honk R Smith

      Mr. Wojick,
      I think perhaps you’re still a of person of faith. Like you, I grew up in Space Age/Star Trek world.
      In the West we thought that reason and Vulcan logic had conquered barbarianism. That Evil was a superstition of the past primitive world.
      We have our books and science, and representative government.
      Hope I’m wrong, but it looks to me like we were living in a fantasy.
      The dark forces have returned and are reconquering Camelot.
      I don’t think the Macron/Trudeau/Andrews/Ardern children of Klaus are just making misguided policy mistakes.
      They F ing the pooch on purpose.
      They’ve developed some weird quasi-religious neo-pagan ideology.
      (I can’t help but notice how they defame Christians but genuflect to everyone else.)
      They operate like the Borg collective, as if the plan is pre-programed into their brains such as they have them.

      To them ‘voter’ is the new peasant.

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      • #

        Interesting how people read history (or used to) and think, “how stupid they were”.

        But here we are with authoritarianism, complete ignorance of basic physics & engineering, evil mandates etc etc etc.

        People are completely blind as history repeats.

        Michael Crichton has a good forward in one of his books on this topic of how people think we are so smart and intelligent and those in the past absoute dunces. I see no evidence of this intelligence amongst most of those I deal with. One who is outstanding is Gerard Rennick, Senator for QLD. He actually looks at science, reality and morality – and is under continual attack from his stupid LNP colleagues. If we had a parliament of Rennicks we would make such progress peoples heads would spin…

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      • #

        Well Honk, in America at least the climate alarmists are making very little policy headway, and that was before the energy crisis. I am indeed optimistic at this point. Speaking of headway, the wind and solar growth does not count because the utilities are doing that to make big profits.

        01

      • #
        Kalm Keith

        “To them ‘voter’ is the new peasant”.

        Possibly illustrated here in Australia in our recent Voteathon.

        We, the peasantry, “voted” but somebody else counted them for us, cause we probably can’t count properly.

        But.

        Comments from peasant scrutineers that leaked out have cast some doubt on the integrity of the tally process and that leaves me wondering if the final published result is reliable.

        Probably doesn’t matter who gets in because the libs/labs/greens are all “in it together” skimming from the Renewerables mission.

        I can see the future: oceans and forests full of stagnant decaying turbines and our farms covered in glassy structures drooping and bent and immovable. The karbon nightmare, fixed, useless and there forever.

        10

    • #
      Ted1

      The obvious logical thing to do on Australia’s east coast is to immediately recommission the 500W generator that recently shut down at Liddell, and announce that Liddell will not now be shutting down in 2023. The world has become a different place in recent months.

      We are afflicted from time to time with scholars citing The Law of Supply and Demand. These scholars display not the slightest comprehension of either Supply or Demand. There is indeed such a “law”, and in the long run it does work as they say. But in the short run it can produce some very perverse results.

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  • #

    Now, here is the rub. France has traditionally been an electricity power exporter especially to Germany. So, if France needs to import electrical power then who to import from. No other country in Europe has the spare capacity right now so that “strategy” isn’t going to work. Turn out the lights please. Whoops, they just turned off by themselves………..Oh well, back to the Drawing Board…………………

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  • #
    James Murphy

    As Jo mentioned, French electricity generation is roughly 70% nuclear, but the other 30% (roughly) is hydropower… in case no one knew this.

    It makes no sense why they decided to build wind farms etc.. except to those getting all those euros in subsidies and kickbacks, of course.

    I will dig out an electricity bill and see how much I’m paying these days, I originally signed up with EDF, and saw no point trying to change providers for a few cents per month. My apartment is all electric, but it is not that big, so I don’t use that much in the scheme of things. I had to switch over to a “smart” meter late last year, they bugged me continuously until I agreed.
    Until now, power delivery has been ok, no real blackouts, although there are occasional interruptions that manage to reset various electronics.

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    • #
      Saighdear

      So pray tell us, what is / was the perceived advantage of the Smart meter under your circumstances ? Our Meter ( non smart) is in the outbuildings, far away. I know how much we use almost to the 1/10th kWhr – per day based on monthly averages ( rolling) and see no reason to use a smart wart which when multiplied by the millions, will need an extra power station to power them ALONE in total for the Nation.

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      • #

        James is being selfless. It electricity gets tight the power company can turn his power off leaving more for the rest of us who have steadfastly refused to be part of enforced energy rationing.

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      • #
        Bruce

        “Smart” meters?

        They can do a LOT more than produce billing data.

        Think: remote-controlled “load-shedding”.

        Security and integrity? Up there with networked electronic voting systems.

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      • #
        James Murphy

        I didn’t have a choice to change to a smart meter. Long story short, the land-lord wanted it done, so it was done.

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        • #
          Saighdear

          Yes, appreciate your situation: read something t’other day about Landlords being held responsible for xxxx …. Oh yes, DeFrock. A Guide to Seeking Damages From Wind Energy Project Owners/Operators Made me think about it all. just like my Customers insisting I use the latest modern “un-smart” tech machines, etc to do my work for them. Pencil & Ruler draws an adequate straight line, in my book.

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        • #
          Annie

          We had the opposite problem in England. We rented out a small house in northern England for a while and our tenant allowed the electricity company to change to a ‘smart’ meter without reference to us. It was very annoying.
          When we rebuilt here we needed a new power board and, you guessed it, were forced to have one here too.

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    • #
      Earl

      “I originally signed up with EDF, and saw no point trying to change providers for a few cents per month.”
      Smart move. Here in Australia we have a second supply provider urging its customers to leave them and go elsewhere. This time its ReAmped Energy.

      The old adage used to be look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves. In this upside down world it is now a case of spend too much time looking after the pennies and the pounds will cost you a fortune. Stay safe, and warm. Cheers.

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      • #
        James Murphy

        Blamed on the high price of coal, of course…
        They seem to ignore that coal is expensive because it is in demand, which is patently opposite to the usual story that the coal industry is shutting down due to lack of demand…
        still, a story wouldn’t be real propaganda if it didn’t have glaring holes in it.

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      • #
        Ted1

        “…urging its customers to leave them and go elsewhere. “.

        That suggests impropriety to me.

        00

    • #
      Joao Martins

      As Jo mentioned, French electricity generation is roughly 70% nuclear, but the other 30% (roughly) is hydropower

      The wise choice for a country with France’s physical geography. 65 years ago, when I was at the first school grades, I was taught of the hydropower in the classes dealing with the geography of my country (Portugal). Suggestively, it was called in our school manuals the “white coal”.

      The wise choice: making the water do some work before it reaches the ocean. Another use that nowadays is sensed to be “sinful” is increasing agricultural productivity through irrigation.

      50

  • #
    PeterS

    Let them eat (yellow) cake.

    40

  • #
    Saighdear

    Hmm, sounds awfully like some of that stuff which I’m seeing ( part reading ) about . All about Conspiracies to reduce the food supply as well – all those accidents putting processing factories, fertiliser supplies, etc into short supply.
    FWIW, WE are thinkinig that even the Veg seed or compost which we buy is all sub-standard. Seed gives less than 50% germination and isn’t particulalry vigorous. – is it the cold dull days of May, or….? Never seen this happen before. So in the Grand Scheme of Life, designed to get us to waste our time growing our own food, conclude we cannot be self-sufficient as such and revert to eating “Mass-produced” genetically EDITED food ( not modified , you understand ) Then we will be truly dependent upon the State.

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    David Maddison

    The answer for France is simple, just install more windmills, solar panels and Big Batteries, LoL.

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    David Maddison

    I don’t understand how there can be these corrosion problems. Metallurgy and welding procedures, especially for mission critical applications such as nuclear reactors are well enough understood that these problems simply should not happen.

    Something is amiss with the training of scientists and engineers involved in the design and construction of these reactors.

    Interesting that there are no problems with the older reactors.

    If I suggested sabotage, I’d probably be called a “tin foil hat wearing white conservative male conspiracy theorist”.

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    • #
      Peter Fitzroy

      This article from the Financial Times might help. For some reason output from nuclear has been falling for over 10 years now, which the FT links to ineptitude within EDF

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    • #
      Just+Thinkin'

      David,

      my thoughts exactly.

      On critical welds (all welds at nuke plants should be) are heat
      treated at and near the weld to “normalise” the site. And
      that is after the weld area has been x-rayed to check for
      weld defects.

      I smell a rat.

      90

      • #
        Chad

        France is not unique with these problems.
        The US has shut down reactors for similar issues
        Nuclear reactor and their service systems are subject to unique conditions and critical safety regs.

        While the secondary side of the reactor does not have the added complications of an intense neutron irradiation field, the combined action of corrosion and stress can create many different forms of failure. The majority steam generator systems in US power plants today originally used Alloy 600 (a Ni-Cr-Fe alloy), although service experience showed many failures in tubes through the 1970s. In the last 20 years, most steam generators have been replaced with Alloy 690, which shows more resistance to stress-corrosion cracking. In addition to the base material, there are weldments, joints, and varying water chemistry conditions leading to a very complex component. Stress-corrosion cracking is found in several different forms and may be the limiting factor for component lifetime.

        https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1369702110702200

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    • #
      RickWill

      I do not know the vintage of these plants but I know from first hand experience that there was shoddy work coming out of Europe in the 1990s. My experience was with a reputable gearbox manufacturer based in Germany. Some of the work that led to failure was worse than shoddy.

      The problem was related to declining workmanship as West German manufacturers absorb East German workers (and supervisors and “engineers”). Rather than the East German workers elevating to the standard of the West, the West German workers degraded to match the standards accepted by the East Germans.

      There is a lot of itinerant, questionably trained, workers in Europe. Not so different to construction in northern Australia where Indonesian workers come into projects in large numbers.

      However this appears to be a design issue rather than QC on the method. It could be an issue with a particular supplier. The pipes may have been welded up in Thailand for example.

      It is much easier to get engineering detail wrong than getting it right.

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      Lance

      My guess is cyclic fatigue failure at the bend welds. Probably from poor temperature control or excessive ramping or unforeseen pinned supports that force expansion induced bending. Welds are great in tension or compression, but bending is a bad idea. I’ve seen a 75 cm seamed pipe fail at 80 bar because of pinned ends. Killed everyone within 50 meters.Blew out the control room walls like they were paper. All because of cyclic fatigue failure. It was a piping design issue and cyclic ramping of the steam temperature. A few decades ago, but history does rhyme.

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      • #
        Chad

        Lance, if you read the reports above, you will see it is not a weld problem,
        It has clearly been identified a “Stress Corrosion” which can occurr at any point wher the metal has been stressed,….bent, under high load, , or in the case of pipes,.. over pressurised.
        Temperature, humidity, chemicals, heat cycling, etc are also factors

        10

        • #
          Lance

          I read them. They posted after I posted. SCC is not uncommon, esp in SS at those temps and pressures.

          10

    • #
      NuThink

      @David

      I don’t understand how there can be these corrosion problems. Metallurgy and welding procedures, especially for mission critical applications such as nuclear reactors are well enough understood that these problems simply should not happen.

      Look also to the purchasing dept – they may be sourcing pipe and materials on the local and international markets from low cost and dodgy suppliers.

      Also the specification should be correct and comprehensive – and in my experience that is not always the case. See below.

      https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/122736-government-pipe-specifications/

      Posted December 11, 2003
      GOVERNMENT PIPE SPECIFICATIONS

      1. All pipe is to be made of a long hole, surrounded by metal or plastic, centered around the hole.

      2. All pipe is to be hollow throughout the entire length – do not use holes of different length than the pipe.

      3. The I.D. (inside diameter) of all pipe must not exceed the O.D. (outside diameter) – otherwise the hole will be on the outside of said pipe.

      4. All pipe is to be supplied with nothing in the hole, so that water, steam or other stuff can be put inside at a later date.

      5. All pipe should be supplied without rust – This can be more readily applied at the job site. Some vendors are now able to supply pre-rusted pipe. If available in your area, this product is recommended as it will save a lot of time on the job site.

      6. All pipe over 500 feet (153m) in length should have the words “long pipe” clearly painted on each end, so the Contractor will know it is a long pipe.

      7. Pipe over 2 miles (3.2 km) in length must have the words “very long pipe” painted in the middle, so the Contractor will not have to walk the entire length of the pipe to determine whether or not it is a long pipe, or a very long pipe.

      8. All pipe over 6” (152 mm) in diameter must have the words “large pipe” painted on it, so the Contractor will not mistake it for a small pipe.

      9. Flanges must be used on all pipe. Flanges must have holes for bolts quite separate from the big hole in the middle.

      10. When ordering 90 degrees, 45 degrees or 30 degrees elbow, be sure to specify right hand or left hand; otherwise you will end up going the wrong way.

      11. Be sure to specify to your vendor whether you want level, uphill, or downhill pipe. If you use downhill pipe for going uphill, the water will flow the wrong way.

      12. All couplings should have either right hand or left hand thread, but do not mix the threads – otherwise, as the coupling is being screwed on one pipe, it is unscrewed from the other.

      Q.E.D Quite Easily Duped.

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        Saighdear

        Hmm not fully qualified at this level but an intelligent observer ( if I may say). But but, Q.A. = Paper trail should illuminate part of the problem. I can ponly offer Solutions to other’s problems.

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    • #
      Len

      In the railways during their steam days they had Coppersmiths who looked after the steam pipes.

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      Ted1

      My reading suggested that somebody, maybe a journalist, doesn’t know the difference between corrosion and erosion.

      00

    • #
      Dave in the States

      During WWII, German warships had problems with super high pressure/super high temperature steam power plants. This was a particular problem on destroyers and cruisers but it also affected battleships such as the Scharnhorst. The power plants were not all that reliable. It wasn’t until 1942 when they started getting a handle on the problem. It was the metalurgy. They did not have enough nickel in the alloy. This is where 316 stainless steel was developed. A contributing factor was chloride contamination. Hydrogen embrittlement during super high temperature operation may have been a problem as well, but it has been a long time since I seen the documentation on it. But I have seen erosion of steam piping, particular at bends, in industry, despite the best materials and the best possible QC. These things are ultra sound and x ray checked constantly.

      The QC of the welding at a nuke build is beyond anal. Normally for such things as refineries, piplines, conventional power plants, and so forth, there is a tolerance for minor welding imperfections allowed. Not at a nuke build.

      The fact that is the newer builds having the problems, causes me to suspect it might be materials no longer allowed, such as asbestos in the insulation (which could cause excessive heat cycling), being absent. Just a guess.

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    Erasmus

    The lefties who do things like declare their municipality a “nuclear free zone” don’t worry at all about visiting France, which has had lots of nuclear power and nuclear powered navy for a long time.

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      Richard+Jenkins

      Nuclear free zone is usually ignorance.
      Examples are within metres of Melbourne hospitals where various nuclear equipment is used.

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      • #
        Ted1

        In 1981 on the footpath not 50 metres from the entrance to the oncology clinic at the children’s hospital at Camperdown, right by the University of Sydney.

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    • #

      Exactly and they buy French Cheese from farms located next door to Nuclear Power Plants…….Radioactive cheese no less…….lol

      50

    • #
      NuThink

      Erasmus, one council in Adelaide which included Port Road used to have little signs on their light poles stating that this was a nuclear free zone until it was pointed out that the Queen Elizabeth Hospital was in their district and also in their district there were many household ionizing smoke alarms which used Americium.
      The signs were subsequently removed.

      PS Port Road is a major road linking the city to the North West and the port.

      People also ask
      What is americium used for?
      Americium is a silvery, shiny radioactive metal. Americium is commonly used in smoke alarms, but has few other uses. It has the potential to be used in spacecraft batteries in the future. Currently plutonium is used but availability is poor so alternatives are being considered.

      10

  • #
    b.nice

    Hope its not too early in the thread for a somewhat off topic

    But Queensland’s palace chook looks like missing her anti-CO2 commitments.

    https://wattsupwiththat.com/2022/05/31/surprise-queenslands-green-left-government-is-on-track-to-miss-their-climate-targets/

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    • #
      David Maddison

      If Queensland wants to be truly “green” they should stop all coal exports, stop importing coal power from NSW and Vicdanistan and shut down its own coal and gas power stations.

      It’s for their own good, you know…

      Queenslanders simply don’t need industry, agriculture or to be warm, cool or be able to see at night. Let them become hunter-gatherers.

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      • #
        b.nice

        “stop importing coal power from NSW”

        Actually, a majority of the time Qld is feeding electricity to the top half of NSW..

        Its about equal at the moment, one connection is +, one –

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      • #
        Glenn

        It’s a bit nippy here this morning David…300k or so north of Brisbane. I did however install a 9kVA diesel genset back in 2017, knowing where we were heading ( Jo and the posters here helped me make the decision ). As long as I can find and afford to buy diesel, I should be able to keep the lights on whilst the Palace Chook and her minions sort out the mess.

        160

      • #
        Just+Thinkin'

        David,

        QLD used to EXPORT about 1,000 MWh regularly
        to the “Mexicans”. 2015 and 2016.

        It has tapered off a bit now.

        30

    • #
      Honk R Smith

      “But Queensland’s palace chook looks like missing her “anti-CO2 commitments.”

      That’s it then.
      No breathing for two weeks to flatten the curve.
      I suggest vacuum sealed head bag mandates.

      50

      • #
        Honk R Smith

        I didn’t really mean that.
        My body was temporarily taken over by Bill and Klaus.
        It’s been happening more frequently.
        Fauci is a little easier to fight off.
        He wanted two vacuum sealed head bags.

        30

  • #
    PeterS

    Slowly the climate change zealots are coming to the conclusion that nuclear energy need not compete with renewables, but it can augment them in a world that needs both climate remedies and reliable power.

    I suppose the zealots had to find some way out of their predicament and avoid admitting they got it totally wrong. Oh well, if that means we all go nuclear and that was that then it wouldnt be so bad but it goes beyond all that as most of us know. Draconian measures to encourage us to drive electric cars is one of many examples. However, if they speed up the development for SMRs then by all means go ahead!

    For SMRs to be a credible option by the early 2030s, successful prototypes must be developed in the 2020s to demonstrate the announced benefits. Specially, they will need to deliver on the ambition with regards to the series effect, as well as simplification and standardization, all the more so because they will need to counterbalance some diseconomies of scale, for instance, on safety systems. Having access to a global market is necessary to foster series-production economies, but this will be possible only with regulatory and industrial harmonization.

    50

    • #
      Graeme No.3

      PeterS:
      The problem is that nuclear and renewables aren’t compatible – in that nuclear runs best as a continuous process and renewables are always disrupting the grid with sudden changes in supply. Yes, some nuclear plants can ‘load follow’ with the most common approach to keep running (generating steam for the turbines) but sending it straight to the condenser, but sudden increases in demand have to be covered by hydro. That isn’t a problem in France where they have a lot of hydro, and might be able to draw from Germany and Spain (including Andorra).
      But they almost certainly won’t be able to draw from the UK with their intended policies.

      Try Comment 60 in Tuesday Open Thread (Oldozzie).
      UK Cabinet discussing Climate Change

      50

    • #

      If they can develop a small nuclear power plant to power a nuclear powered submarine for 30 years with minimal maintenance, then they can sure construct reliable and efficient SMRs. The Rolls Royce consortium is on a winner here methinks. Humankind is now saved so chin up everyone……………….

      20

  • #
    Lawrie

    I have always believed in God and now I think He is doing His bit to expose the foolishness of man. Not all men but those non-believers who really think they can control the weather.

    182

  • #
    Robber

    From Wikipedia: “Nuclear power in Germany accounted for 13.3% of German electricity supply in 2021, generated by six power plants, of which three were switched off at the end of 2021, the other three due to cease operation at the end of 2022 according to the complete nuclear phase-out plan of 2011. However, in early 2022 this plan was called into question once more in light of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine which threatens Germany’s supply of natural gas. There have been calls to either delay the shutdown of the remaining three reactors or to restart operation in those reactors that were shut down in late 2021.”

    180

    • #
    • #
      Earl

      An expanded view on what was going on in Germany last year BEFORE the Russia stumble into Ukraine. Read it before the lights go out.

      50

      • #
        OldOzzie

        Fuel switch from coal to gas continues

        Despite the sharp rise in gas prices, the overall picture still shows a fuel switch from coal to gas. In the first six months of this year, Germany’s gas-fired power plants generated almost 19 percent more electricity than in 2020 and 25 percent more electricity than in 2019. The increase in coal-fired power generation is thus mainly driven by low renewable generation, increased electricity demand and partly also by the high gas prices this year. However, despite the increase in coal-fired power generation in Germany, there is still no sign of a definite backswitch from gas back to coal.

        80

  • #
    David Maddison

    Civilisation is a fragile thing.

    Unless it is constantly fought for, the forces of anti-civilisation will take over, exploiting any and all weaknesses.

    The Left fully understand this and are currently well into their program of deconstructing Western Civilisation and all that is good and decent.

    The Left leadership know exactly what they are doing, supported by an ignorant dumbed-down slave army of “useful-idiots”, the product of an “education” system infiltrated and dumbed-down by the Left over the last 50 or so years.

    Australia had Tony Abbott and the US had Donald Trump who could have reversed some of the madness and look what happened to both of them. Even if Western nations got rational leaders (e.g. in 2.5 years for the US, 3 years for Australia), the damage done by then will be so severe, recovery may not be possible.

    That, ladies and gentlemen (and others!) is the true nature of the Existential Crisis we are facing, not the “climate”.

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  • #
    robert rosicka

    So South Australia have declared a climate emergency , does this mean the filthy coal powered extension cords get cut . The diesel generators get blown up along with the gas peaking plants so finally the state can live a green utopia ? Or are they planning on switching to nuclear?

    https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/south-australia-declares-climate-emergency/video/1164b59f3b22106f63d123afe5040141

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  • #
    • #
      PeterS

      Just like Hawke’s statement “No child will live in poverty” except this time the failed promise will result in catastrophic consequences for everyone if their actions are allowed to continue.

      30

  • #
    OldOzzie

    Meanwhile in America – Another Nuclear Plant Closes: Get Ready For Electricity Shortages

    America’s electric grid is being mismanaged and consumers will pay a heavy price for that mismanagement…

    More evidence of that came with the recent closure of the Palisades Power Plant in Michigan. The 811-megawatt nuclear plant was shut down on the same day that the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) issued a report saying the U.S. electric grid doesn’t have enough generation capacity and that blackouts are almost certain to occur across the country this summer.

    In particular, NERC noted that the Midwest is facing a capacity shortfall that could lead to a “high risk of energy emergencies during peak summer conditions.” Palisades was located in the heart of the Midwest, immediately adjacent to the area served by the Mid-continent Independent System Operator (MISO), the region that NERC identified as being particularly short on juice. NERC said the MISO region has 3,200 megawatts less generation capacity this summer than it did in 2021. Despite this loss of generation capacity, NERC expects demand in the region to increase by about 1.7 percent this summer and warned that “extreme temperatures, higher generation outages, or low wind conditions” will mean that MISO will have a “higher risk” of “load-shedding to maintain system reliability” — the industry’s preferred term for rolling blackouts.

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    • #
      David Maddison

      America’s electric grid is being mismanaged

      It’s only being mismanaged from the point of view of a rational observer.

      The Biden regime is causing it’s deliberate mismanagement into oblivion because this is a deliberate strategy to lower the standard of living of Americans and similarly in all other Western countries.

      90

  • #
    OldOzzie

    Chris Bowen on ‘the world’s climate emergency’

    The World’s Climate Emergency is Australia’s Jobs Opportunity

    Let’s Go Brandon

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  • #
    David Maddison

    On the radio I just heard an Australian Government minister say that energy prices were high and rising because the previous government didn’t invest in enough unreliables. He claimed/lied that they will fix that with….Even more unreliables.

    More unreliables = higher costs.

    That’s so well established that it’s beyond a hypothesis or theory but a law.

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    • #
      robert rosicka

      As I’ve pointed out further up , right now South Australia is 65% powered off fossil fuel and the NEM no longer show in the fuel mix what % is from Victoriastan and brown coal . SA has the largest exposure to intermittent so called renewables and has the highest price , doesn’t matter how many more wind mills and solar panels they put up when the weather isn’t just right neither is the amount of power they get .

      150

      • #
        Ronin

        Just had a look and worked out the % for Vic, it is 49% brown coal, so 49% of SA’s Vic imports are brown coal.

        90

        • #
          robert rosicka

          Right now 80% of SA is powered by fossil fuel , where’s your emergency now South Australia ?

          40

      • #
        Ross

        If you want to see some fun have a look at those NEM power generation figures tomorrow (2/6/22 ). There’s a major cloud formation about to cover the whole of the East coast. Plus there will be low wind conditions in SA, Vic and NSW. So that’s virtually nothing from both solar and wind for the whole day and night.

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      • #
        YallaYPoora Kid

        Richard Marles – what a maroon!

        20

    • #
      Forrest Gardener

      Of course David.

      To the teal mind we need far more windmills when the wind doesn’t blow and far more solar panels when the sun doesn’t shine. And the nation would run entirely on windmills and solar panels if only the coal and gas fired power stations were shut down and blown up.

      Of course the power supply would be intermittent at best but every teal has diesel backup.

      130

    • #
      Dennis

      Electricity supply is the responsibility of State Governments, they privatised/leased/demolished those State public assets and before any development can proceed like wind, solar or new power stations State approvals must be obtained. Same applies for dams as water supply is also a State responsibility.

      The new Minister should be reminded that Federal Government can only propose, and the previous Morrison Government proposed 4 gas generators with 1 for NSW and 1 each for VIC and SEQ, and 1 coal fired power station for NQ. To date 1 gas fired generators has been approved for location in the NSW Hunter Valley by the State Coalition NSW Government.

      60

      • #
        Dennis

        For accounting tax purposes a power station is usually written off against tax liability over 50 years, but of course could continue if well maintained for decades longer.

        To achieve 50 years from wind turbine installations would require the original wind turbines and two removal and replacements for 50-60 years service.

        But as we are told, the renewables are getting cheaper.

        30

  • #
    Ross

    There is an inherent simplicity with coal fired electricity generation vs other thermal fuel sources. Over the years I have watched various docos on all the nuclear power plant disasters. More recently some of these events have been either produced as dramas (Chernobyl ) or as extended documentaries (Three Mile Island ). My overall impression from all that I have learned about nuclear power over this time is that the engineering is extremely complicated, the plants take a long time to construct and that the threat of a BIG disaster is always possible. In the Three Mile Island incident in 1979 the operators (unbeknown to them) were only about 1/2 hour from a full meltdown situation with a big area of East coast USA affected. They were very lucky. Even if you look at all the alternate fuels for thermal electricity production eg. Gas, hydrogen, biomass etc they all have inherent problems of transport, volatility, corrosiveness and also explosive tendencies. Renewables are intermittent low grade electricity – they are simply not suitable for powering modern economies. Which brings me back to coal. A coal fired electricity plant is relatively uncomplicated. The fuel is relatively inert in its native form. It doesn’t need pipelines to transport and doesn’t emit radiation. Coal fired electricity plants are basically huge steam kettles hooked up to a generator. If the supply comes from an open cut mine (eg. Brown coal in Victoria, Australia) there are far less OHS problems that come with mining underground for other forms of coal. In fact, the original architects and engineers of the Victorian power grid must have thought all their Xmas’s had come at once. Readily accessible brown coal with hundreds of years of supply, so build the power plant alongside eliminating supply problems. Then the major population needing that supply (Melbourne) is relatively close. But it gets even better for coal because with some relatively simple added technology you can make them super critical:ultra super critical or even HELE standard. So way more efficient and also very clean. Now, that the French are looking at their declining nuclear power they must look at places like Australia and say “sacré bleu – what are you silly Aussies doing?”

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  • #
    David Maddison

    Just as energy shortages have been planned for us, so have food shortages.

    Governments are openly admitting high and rising prices for food and energy and as I have mentioned many times, people are being gradually conditioned to accept eating insects.

    E.g. see https://www.wionews.com/world/as-part-of-alternative-protein-research-primary-school-kids-in-wales-to-be-offered-edible-insects-483813

    By the way, the politically correct term for insects as food is “alternative proteins”.

    You may wish to put aside some storable food supplies in long term non-refrigerated storage.

    90

  • #
    Ronin

    “The cracks tend to show up very close to welds at the pipes’ elbows, most likely because of a vortex of hot and cold water, and possibly because of how the welds were done.”

    That is called ‘the HAZ’ or heat affected zone, if you don’t get the weld preparation, preheat and post weld stress relief right, troubles will ensue.
    Shortcuts the likely cause.

    80

  • #
    Neville

    It looks like Dr Finkel and others are going down the Hydrogen energy DISASTER path and they fully expect the new Albo clown govt to create certainty for this massive change to new so called “Green hydrogen”.
    But doesn’t “certainty” actually means all sorts of subsidies or gifts to the new billionaire yappers and con merchants?
    And how will this help our poorest and elderly citizens across Australia? And the higher energy costs will also penalise small business and therefore limit future job opportunities as well.
    Electrifying everything using Green hydrogen is the extremist’s wet dream and don’t we already have plenty of coal, gas etc and isn’t our entire SH NET zero anyway?
    IOW why waste billions of $ FOREVER to fix NOTHING and ACHIEVE nothing?

    https://www.standard.net.au/story/7760105/finkel-in-call-to-electrify-everything/

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    • #
      b.nice

      If Finkel is calling for something… you can basically guarantee its the wrong call !

      160

    • #
      Graeme No.3

      I would like to know how they are going to convert hydrogen gas back into electricity. Gas turbines are limited to around 5% usage because the high flame temperature of hydrogen destroys the blades. It might be used in the old boiler plants (taking care not to overheat the steam pipes) but it doesn’t look that good a solution. No good in diesels so South Australia had better go back to candles.

      The whole rush into “things that will save us” based on the idea that CO2 controls the climate without thinking first reminds me of the old bushies story of The New Chum who picked up what he thought was a stick to hit what he thought was a snake. Or at the same level with our politicians the old Goon Show line “he lept onto the horse and galloped off madly in all direction”.

      90

      • #
        crakar24

        GN3,

        Remember Labor have about 6 months of blaming the last government up their sleeve, well 12 months with the current high level of stupidity prevalent within the Australian voting public. I believe we are now standing at the event horizon of climate change stupidity brought to you by labor/green cultism. As bad as this process will be it has to unfold so people will finally understand just how deranged some people are.

        50

      • #
        David Maddison

        Plus, hydrogen embrittlement of metals such as high strength steel the hydrogen contacts will be a huge problem.

        70

      • #
        Chad

        Graeme No.3
        June 1, 2022 at 10:46 am · Reply
        I would like to know how they are going to convert hydrogen gas back into electricity

        Fuel cells .
        ….Big ones
        ……lots od them

        10

      • #
        Chad

        Graeme No.3
        June 1, 2022 at 10:46 am · Reply
        I would like to know how they are going to convert hydrogen gas back into electricity……

        Replied yesterday…but it disapeared ?
        Answer…….Fuel Cells .
        Big ones
        Many of them
        At huge cost and low efficiency !

        00

        • #
          Graeme No.3

          Which type?
          The ones using concentrated phosphoric acid (heavy so up to 10 tons) with oxygen feed as well. These are existing technology in use.
          There may be other types known that are in use, but I haven’t kept up with this.
          I realise the answer is proton exchange membrane types but are any in regular use yet?

          Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have emerged as a leading energy conversion technology for stationary, transportation, and portable electronic applications. The wide popularity of PEMFCs as an alternative power source is owing to its low temperature operation (<100°C), remarkable efficiency (theoretical efficiency of 83%),
          However, the commercialization of PEM fuel cells suffers from two major hurdles, that is, high cost and low durability.

          https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/proton-exchange-membrane-fuel-cell

          00

    • #
      David Maddison

      Even in the space industry, few people are prepared to use liquid hydrogen except NASA because it is a nightmare to handle although good rocket fuel. SpaceX Raptor engines use liquid methane and liquid oxygen, much less of a nightmare.

      To think millions of cars, trucks and other ground transport vehicles are going to use this fuel is complete insanity and represents a total disconnect from reality. Alternative methods of storage such as metal hydrides or compressed gas are not practical.

      80

  • #
    Ronin

    “The eyes of the new energy world are fixed on Australia. Our trade partners are closely watching how we develop this market,” Dr Simon said.

    “But the hydrogen economy can’t wait for market forces alone to drive decarbonisation. We need policy certainty and coordination to get this market to scale.”

    It’s shorthand for, ‘our International minders/handlers are cracking the whip on us so we are panicking and have to introduce some stupid legislation to get the ball rolling, it won’t do it on it’s own.’

    71

  • #
    DLK

    scientific law of clown world:
    for every disaster scenario simulation there is an equal and identical orchestrated event.

    90

  • #
    el+gordo

    ‘The big test will come when temperatures start to fall toward the end of the year.’

    Accurate forecast, but more proof is required.

    40

    • #
      Forrest Gardener

      Gordo I don’t think your logic is quite right.

      The accuracy of a forecast is cannot be determined until the forecast date so it is premature to say that the forecast is accurate. And the relevant proof will only be available on the forecast date.

      61

      • #
        el+gordo

        I was talking to myself out loud.

        But the good news is that La Nina will be around for the European winter, which means it will be colder.

        50

    • #
      RickWill

      Temperature falling from those experienced in May to those in December in France, could not be anything but certain. The only way for that not to occur would be for Earth to disappear. In that case, no humans will be around to care.

      The timeline for repair should see some units back in service by boreal winter. There may be more that need to be repaired as they continue their second 10 year inspection cycle.

      20

  • #
    OldOzzie

    The climate war, it’s time for a tactical retreat

    Author Cassie of Sydney

    Posted on May 31, 2022

    I will preface this piece by saying that I believe climate change to be the biggest scam in human history. At its core it is pure unadulterated Marxism, a religious cult dressed up as science, a theological and ideological tool constructed to destroy the West. It is designed to destroy humanity because it is fundamentally a cult that is anti-human. It is the climax of a philosophy of anti-humanism began by Jean-Jacques Rousseau. I always laugh out loud when I hear climate cultists cry out about “our children’s future” because the plain truth of the climate scam is that it is about denying a future to our children. We do not have to look far to see the results of the scam, the unfolding tragedy in Sri Lanka shows us very clearly how quickly the green climate scam can destroy a country’s economy and now its people are starving.

    However, I am going to be very blunt here. I believe that at this moment in time we on the right side of politics need to acknowledge that we have lost the climate change war and we need to engage in a tactical retreat.

    Please hear me out.

    Even so-called culture warrior Tony Abbott dithered and wimped, he refused to honestly call out the scam, and how was he rewarded? He was knifed twice, first by miserable Malcolm Turnbull and then by a vacuous and empty-headed bimbo backed by hard-left progressives. It was a Greek tragedy of epic proportions.

    Our children have been completely indoctrinated and poisoned, because for far too long politicians on the right have done nothing about our education system, bar one or two examples our MSM has been completely corrupted and captured, we’ve had successive Liberal governments do nothing to confront ABC bias and only recently the Morrison government threw even more money at the ABC, thus rewarding a media politburo that is unashamedly and unapologetically hostile to right of centre politics, politicians and mainstream Australia. So now the die has now been cast, the damage has been done and the inevitable result has ensued, that despite committing to “net zero emissions by 2050”, voters deserted the Coalition anyway on 21 May 2022.

    But all these electoral victories will, in the long term, be Pyrrhic victories because it will not be long before the exorbitant power bills arrive, the blackouts begin, the power rationing starts and then all hell will break loose. Nobody will be immune, not even those living in the Teal electorates. And then people will begin to get agitated, very agitated and the revolt against the doctrines of climate change will begin. This means that politicians on the right must start to speak truthfully and bluntly about how renewables such as solar and wind will never provide base load energy. This means that politicians on the right must start to speak truthfully and bluntly about how vested interests are making money from renewables. And the most important message? This means that politicians on the right must start to speak truthfully and bluntly about how, if we want clean reliable energy, then such energy will only come from nuclear power.

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    • #
      William

      Well said Cassie.

      71

    • #
      Annie

      Cassie of Sydney speaks a lot of sense. I saw this in
      the New Catallaxy blog.

      61

    • #

      And I replied to Cassie by saying this –

      I agree with never give up. Sir Winston Churchill said never, never, ever give up (and with maybe a few more nevers) in that famous wartime Statement.

      And Cassie, the other mob have only won a few battles and not the War. The War is not over yet. You have it the wrong way round in your last paragraph.

      Yes, and things will Crash and Burn before any change. And that change will come from the population at the end of their tether. By which time the Pollies and all of the others involved in this Scam will be running for their lives.

      And after the Crash and Burn, a Phoenix will arise with the World in a far, far better place than it is now.

      Here endeth the first lesson of “Nil Illigitimi Carborandum” which roughly translated means, “Don’t let the Bastards Grind you Down”……………………………….

      00

    • #
      Kalm Keith

      All good except for the last bit; nuclear is not the best or cheapest option, that’s Coal fired, as the Chinese so ably show.

      10

  • #
    STJOHNOFGRAFTON

    Not to worry. The French are only shutting down older reactors to refurbish them over summer so that they’ll be online and ready for action for Europe’s next winter.

    40

  • #
    Ronin

    “However, I am going to be very blunt here. I believe that at this moment in time we on the right side of politics need to acknowledge that we have lost the climate change war and we need to engage in a tactical retreat.”
    I think you are right, the left are better at this than we are, they are more dishonest, will lie to our faces, are in it for the long run and will commit whatever it takes.

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  • #
    OldOzzie

    Australia shivers through the coldest morning of the year as snow falls near Sydney and Melbourne and icy polar blast brings temperatures of -6.1C – here’s the forecast near you

    – Parts of Australia have woken up to the coldest temperatures of the year
    – Snow fell overnight in Victoria’s Alpine region and in NSW’s Central Tablelands
    – Warnings in place for parts of NSW and VIC, with winds reaching up to 100km/h
    – Meanwhile, widespread rainfall is pushing across inland NT and SA from WA

    20

    • #
      Annie

      Snow on the hills around here is not exactly unheard of in late May. One year a couple of tourists slid on the snow down a hill nearby to their deaths.
      We need to protect some of our citrus fruit, 3 years ago a lot of it was frosted into uselessness.

      30

      • #
        Annie

        Meanwhile, the wind is largely absent. There was a gust of about 20kph about 24 hrs ago but little otherwise. Anenometer reading 0 a lot of the time. It is also raining, little sun and only for short periods.

        20

  • #
    OldOzzie

    UK NEWS Millions warned of power cuts this winter

    Ministers delay closure of coal-fired generators over fear of gas shortages caused by Ukraine war

    Six million households could face blackouts this winter because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, ministers have been warned, as they look to bolster electricity supplies by prolonging the life of coal and nuclear power stations.

    The Times has been told that the government’s “reasonable” worst-case scenario, which has been drawn up by officials from across Whitehall, says that there could be widespread gas shortages if Russia goes further in cutting off supplies to the EU.

    A minister said the briefing suggested that electricity could have to be rationed for up to six million homes at the start of next year, mostly at peaks in the morning and evening. The curbs could last more than a month, causing energy prices to rise again and leaving GDP lower than forecast for years to come.

    Kwasi Kwarteng, the business secretary, has written to the owners of Britain’s three remaining coal-fired power stations to ask them to stay open for longer than planned. They were due to close in September under plans to phase them out entirely by 2024 to reduce emissions.

    Hinkley Point B, a nuclear power station in Somerset, could also be given an 18-month extension. The plant, which is nearly 50 years old, was due to be decommissioned this summer. Britain buys less than 4 per cent of its gas directly from Russia but is connected to European markets. The EU typically gets 40 per cent of its gas from Russia and its members have continued paying it hundreds of millions of euros a day since the invasion.

    Officials are also said to have drawn up an even bleaker strategy in the event of Russia cutting off gas entirely to the EU. It suggests that energy blackouts could start in December and last for three months, with blackouts both on weekdays and weekends.

    40

    • #
      RickWill

      Six million households could face blackouts this winter because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,

      What utter tripe this is. It has ZERO to do with Russian invasion of Ukraine. It is ALL to do with woke policy that makes UK totally dependent on fairy farts for its power generation.

      James Watt and a few others who developed the basis of the industrial economy throughout the world would be laughing at the silliness.

      England can have all the coal they want if they were prepared to pay the current price off $470/tonne. Just need to to build a few coal fired power stations and coal unloaders.

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      • #
        Zane

        Britain has one of the biggest coal-fired power stations in Europe – Drax. 3900 MW – not too shabby. Which in these climate-befuddled days mostly fuels itself with wood pellets sourced from North American or Russian forests – since this is classed as ” renewable ” and thus not counted under EU carbon emissions targets. Drax sits on plenty of underground coal deposits, as I understand it.

        It seems to be a political issue. Westminster has gone green.

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    • #
      Ronin

      Major, major blackouts are the only leverage that will cure this green silliness, it’s not such a bad thing, as long as you aren’t caught up in it, the poms pain might be our gain.

      30

  • #
    OldOzzie

    ‘No simple mechanism’ to take pressure off gas prices: Chalmers

    Gas development about science, not philosophy: Chalmers

    There is no simple mechanism the government can pull to take pressure off gas prices, Treasurer Jim Chalmers says.

    “This spike in the price has a number of causes, and it does not have a single solution. If there was one, somebody would have reached for it,” he said, flagging discussions with regulators, Energy Minister Chris Bowen and Resources Minister Madeleine King.

    “There is no single solution – whether it is liquid fuels, whether it is the gas price, the electricity price – each of these are concerning on their own, but together, potentially, extremely challenging to the Australian economy.”

    Jim Chalmers has been asked where Labor sits philosophically on the development of gas fields like Beetaloo and Narrabri.

    The treasurer responds he doesn’t see it as an issue of philosophy, but science.

    “Where it is safe to do it and the environmental impacts have been considered, of course,” he said.

    “That is my position. It is based on science and evidence, and there are, obviously, a range of views in the community about gas developments.“

    Chalmers thought the Northern Territory’s handling of the issue under the Gunner government was a good guide.

    “The Gunner government, when Gunner was chief minister, recognised community concerns about about some of those developments and had a proper look at all of the considerations and came to a conclusion.”

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      Zane

      Nuclear power, whatever else it is, is not cheap. France does not have particularly cheap electricity, at least for households. My French friend preferred to freeze in his flat in central Paris rather than spend money on heating. Then there is the capex. A nuclear plant budgeted at $5 billion might well end up costing $25 billion and taking years extra to complete. Decommissioning one spreads over 20 years requiring hundreds of workers at CFMEU rates, say $200k p.a. Huge regulatory hurdles. NIMBYism. No point in siting it 300 kms out of Alice Springs; the power is needed in the megalopolises of Sydney, Melbourne, and SE Qld. With coal a no-go due to political factors and climate indoctrination, that means gas. Gas gas gas and more gas. Natural, unnatural, onshore, offshore, coal seam, shale, fracked, unfracked, piped, or liquified.

      Combined Cycle Gas Turbines, folks. Ready or not.

      You better believe it.

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        Philip

        I agree Zane. Like your point about union rates and decommissioning costs, true. I’m no nuclear fan. Gas and coal for me, mainly coal.

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        Kalm Keith

        Thas true; coal fired is still by far the cheapest but nuclear is still way way cheaper than bloody renewables.

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      Ross

      Whenever I read “Energy Minister Chris Bowen “- I flinch.

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      Ronin

      “That is my position. It is based on science and evidence, and there are, obviously, a range of views in the community about gas developments.“

      Let’s see, science, 97% agree, check, evidence, it was hot today, check, community views, greens don’t like fossil fuels, check.

      Result, no gas for you.

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    Tel

    As things got more serious, in late February the French nuclear safety authority decided to extend the life of the 32 oldest reactors for another ten years and is now planning to retire them at age 50.

    And that is why nuclear power is not a technical engineering problem … it’s a political trust problem. Pushing a machine well beyond it’s design life is always going to compromise reliability, and yet they always insist on doing it. No one wants to be the guy who orders the thing to shut down, even though they had decades to plan ahead.

    Same happened at Fukushima by the way … the oldest reactor was the one that failed, and it was at the end of its original design life. They had a bunch of other problems as well, but that’s the point of safety margins and allowing for the day when all the unlikely bad things happen at once. That day will come sooner or later.

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      Ronin

      “Same happened at Fukushima by the way … the oldest reactor was the one that failed, and it was at the end of its original design life.”

      Design life never had anything to do with Fukushima, it was running just fine up until the quake destroyed power lines then the tsunami took out backup generators foolishly sited below water level meters from the sea.

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      Philip

      Jo says coal plants make their cheapest electricity after 30 years, when they’re paid off. Surely their repairs and maintenance are easier than a nuclear plant, that is, you can drag out their life easier than a nuclear. More reason why coal is so good, especially for Australia.

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    Kalm Keith

    Exactly.

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      Kalm Keith

      Was meant to reply to Tel’s point about life extension beyond the design date.
      Greedy and dangerous.
      Not much point designing for a specific lifetime when politicians can override the engineering.

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    Honk R Smith

    I feel it my duty, since this thread is about the French, to recap a famous Ted Nugent insight.

    Mr. Nugent was being interviewed in France, and chastised for hunting deer with bow and arrow.
    “What do think the poor deer is thinking when you shoot it with your bow and arrow?”

    Mr. Nugent replied …
    “Well, I think they’re thinking … ‘what am I gonna eat next, who am I gonna F next, and should I run away’ … they’re alot like the French in that way.”

    Americans … we rock so hard. 🙂

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    Philip

    Isn’t the answer more windmills and solar panels ? According to the news it is. That is exactly what they said in NSW, that these coal generators break down and so they’re no good.

    Remember when the French would blow up above ground nuclear bombs in the Pacific ? I somehow wish we’d return to those days, though I could never understand that habit.

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    David Maddison

    It’s shameful that no professional engineering association has warned of the dangers of unreliables.

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      YallaYPoora Kid

      As I have mentioned previously engineers do not make policy which is the job of politicians. In the days past engineers had more say in public power generation authorities however with privatisation new priorities are at hand eg keeping old plant running without investing any significant capital expenditure and how to install renewables in a grid not designed to have said renewables. The grid managers then realised that engineers need to work out how to compensate the grid disruption caused by renewables. Engineers duly oblige to propose to provide such bandaid solutions.
      It is a CLM (career limiting move) to tell said managers of privatised power suppliers, grid managers and politicians that their policy settings and patch-up decisions are a pile of crap.

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      RickWill

      It’s shameful

      It would be shameful if they did not look after the interest of their members.

      There are a myriad of examples of people who have lost employment for not endorsing the scam.

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    alistair pope

    I love it when the Greenfoll dreams and desires all come true: no nuclear, no fossil fuels and no electricity.
    I will now lobby for no oil, no plastics and and 5 x intoxinations for every green cultist.

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    Ronin

    Wondering what a Greenfoll and an intoxination is.

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    Ronin

    ” Half the French Nuclear fleet is down”.
    Bit like their Naval fleet, you pick which century.

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    DLK

    Dr. Li-Meng Yan – LEAKED PLA Audio – CCP’s Plan to Invade the World & Australian Federal Election

    Dr. Li-Meng Yan joins us to discuss recent leaked audio from whistleblowers present at a People’s Liberation Army meeting discussing preparing Chinese citizens for war, and their planned invasion of Taiwan and beyond.

    Dr. Yan also discusses a call she received in April advising her that Labor was going to win the Australian Federal Election, and that there is an infiltrator of the Australian government, linked to the CCP [@31.00]

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    Ronin

    “and that there is an infiltrator of the Australian government, linked to the CCP [@31.00]”

    Er, that would be half the Labor Party.

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    DLK

    Dr. John Campbell & Jessica Henderson on the High Number of Non-COVID Excess Deaths in Queensland, Australia.

    “Right up until the end of 2021, there were only 7 confirmed COVID deaths in Queensland in that time period, and yet there’s actually excess deaths of 3,000 for that same time period. So we have a large number of excess deaths representing an almost 10% spike in deaths over the baseline.”

    link

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    b.nice

    UAH May is in, a scarily warm +0.17ºC

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    Earl

    Daily Mail announces potential power cuts over next 24hrs for millions of Australians. And yes lead suspect the Ukraine war with unnamed “perfect storm of factors” the secondary comment.

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