From Resource World, December 1:
France, the world’s leading country in nuclear power, plans to retain its leadership in the global market into the future through the acceleration of building of new nuclear power capacities throughout the world and development of uranium projects.
Since the early 1960s France has achieved success by developing its nuclear power industry. At present, the country operates more than 60 nuclear power units, which together produce more than 400 billion kWh annually, or more than 75% of the total electricity generated in France. The industry provides local customers with electricity at prices significantly lower than in any other country in the EU.
In addition to the domestic market, a significant of part of electricity produced by French nuclear power plants is exported to neighboring countries, including Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Spain and others.
France’s nuclear success is also due to stable supplies of uranium for its power plants. As France itself has limited uranium reserves (primarily concentrated in Limousin, Morvan, Fore-Madeleine in the Central French massif and the Vendee regions of the country), most of the country’s uranium needs has been met mainly from Africa, in particular, its former colonies.
In recent years demand for nuclear energy has recovered both in France and globally (being reflected by recent commissioning of new nuclear power plants in China, Russia and other countries). The level of competition in the global uranium market has also tightened.
France and its flagship uranium producer, Orano Corp., (a company which was initially established in 2017 as a subsidiary of Areva S.A. following a restructuring process) may face serious competition from global uranium producers....
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France has approximately 4500 troops which operate across the Sahel: Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger while the U.S. has a major drone project outside Agadez, Niger.
