France pushes for more nuclear power globally

Not that anyone should be surprised, but I'm all in favor of the French push for more nuclear power usage. That means building more plants, retiring/retooling/refitting old plants, coming up with better ways to handle and secure nuclear waste, and changing other aspects of the global energy infrastructure to deal with nuclear (such as longer transmission capability and smart grids).

So when I hear Sarkozy making his pitch, I applaud heartily, and hope the world listens.

France urges the world to turn to nuclear power

"Welcoming delegates from 60 energy-hungry nations to a conference in Paris, President Nicolas Sarkozy said civil nuclear power had been unfairly passed over for World Bank development loans.

He called on world and regional financial bodies to finance new nuclear projects in developing countries, and announced that France would set up an international institute to promote atomic technology.

"I can't understand why nuclear power is ostracised by international finance, it's the stuff of scandal," he said, urging the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and others to do more."

More:

"[France] has also made the export of nuclear technology an economic priority.

French engineering giants Areva and EDF are promoting the European Pressurised Reactor (EPR), a third-generation reactor design that France considers the most advanced in the world."