{"id":6925,"date":"2024-10-14T15:36:23","date_gmt":"2024-10-14T13:36:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ingenius.ecoledesponts.fr\/?p=6925"},"modified":"2024-10-16T08:37:03","modified_gmt":"2024-10-16T06:37:03","slug":"nuclear-power-also-has-a-local-history-the-case-of-the-rhone-river","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ingenius.ecoledesponts.fr\/en\/articles\/nuclear-power-also-has-a-local-history-the-case-of-the-rhone-river\/","title":{"rendered":"Nuclear power (also) has a local history: the case of the Rh\u00f4ne River"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

During your PhD, you worked on the history of nuclear power in France from the 1950s to the 1990s, adopting a local approach, specifically along the Rh\u00f4ne. Why did you focus on this particular river?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The history of France\u2019s nuclear program has always been told from a national perspective, whether in relation to the atomic bomb or the nuclear power program<\/a> of the 1970s. But focusing on one river, in this case the Rh\u00f4ne, reveals how complex the development of nuclear power has been since the 1950s, and raises some very topical questions, including the economic impact and the environmental aspects of this industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why are there so many nuclear power plants along the Rh\u00f4ne?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

They are certainly an inescapable part of the landscape, whether you are driving along the highway at Cruas, taking the train at Tricastin, or taking off from Lyon and flying over Bugey. After doing some reading, I realized that what these power plants all have in common is their proximity to the river. They draw the water needed to cool their reactors from the river, and periodically discharge radioactive effluent and heated water into it. This prompted me to ask a number of questions: How did the planning process for these plants unfold? What were the local impacts and debates? What can we learn by writing a local history of nuclear power?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What did you find out when you looked into this local history?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I read books on the history of the French nuclear industry, I noticed a major disconnect between historians, who focus on the political history of the nuclear program decided at national level by a Paris-based circle of \u201cnucleocrats\u201d, and science historians, sociologists, and most importantly geographers, who start from the ground up, from each site and its physical operating environment. A common theme running through these works is the difficulty of finding archival materials. Most of them get around this by using interviews, obtaining files from former engineers, or gaining privileged access to archives such as those of EDF or the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What was your approach to overcoming these difficulties?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a historian trained in how to use written archives, I quickly realized that interviewing nuclear engineers on such a technical subject required a solid background in the field. The French National Archives are a treasure trove of information, but entire collections require special clearance. I needed another way of getting around this to write a local history of nuclear power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, central government is not the be-all and end-all when it comes to running our country. While the program is decided at the national level, there are mechanisms in place to pass on the decision and implement it at the local level. Every file that passes through a ministry leaves a trace at every level of government, so you just have to do a lot of research. I was lucky enough to find records in every departmental capital\u2019s archive, and sometimes in duplicate, as the Rh\u00f4ne is an administrative boundary. I undertook a systematic search of every archive that included a keyword related to nuclear energy or a nuclear power plant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What did you learn by changing the scale of your analysis? <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

First of all, I realized that the much-maligned \u201cnuclear state\u201d is much less of a unanimous force than most people think. There is even considerable tension. In the 1950s and 1960s, the CEA was not particularly enthusiastic about cooperating with the prefectures, whether to recruit workers or control its industrial effluent. Sites such as Pierrelatte (in Dr\u00f4me) and Marcoule (in Gard) even formed their own intelligence services to bypass the intelligence services in the d\u00e9partement<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We can also see that the tension around nuclear power is far more complex than merely a clash between EDF and anti-nuclear <\/a>protesters<\/a>. From early on, EDF teams were planning to build power plants along the entire length of the river. In 1966, the entire riverbank was surveyed as part of a large-scale development plan. In the 1970s, when the power plant building program accelerated along the Rh\u00f4ne and throughout France (symbolized by the famous Messmer Plan announced in 1974), the drive for nuclear power gained momentum and numerous sites were considered, many of which have since been forgotten (see map).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This huge \u201cnuclearization\u201d effort attracted a lot of attention from local government officials looking to revitalize their communes or cantons, but it also worried the agencies responsible for managing the river\u2019s water. The sheer scale of the program sparked internal debate at the River Basin Agency and among the engineers overseeing navigation on the river. Thermal pollution was the major issue of the 1970s, fueling fears of the Rh\u00f4ne, already highly industrialized and urbanized, becoming saturated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Nuclear sites planned and built along the Rh\u00f4ne (created with QGIS by L. Fagon, 2024, all rights reserved).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In your thesis, you also mention the Compagnie Nationale du Rh\u00f4ne (CNR). What role did it play in this story?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

CNR was one of the few electricity generation companies to escape nationalization in 1946, when EDF came into being. CNR\u2019s dams not only generate electricity, but are also used for navigation and irrigation along the Rh\u00f4ne, so it never became part of EDF. It was, however, financially dependent on the national electricity company, and relations became strained when EDF turned all its financial resources to nuclear power from 1974. Potential sites along the river were few and far between. They were therefore highly sought-after for building dams as well as nuclear power plants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When focusing on the local aspects, did you study the economic, political, and social repercussions?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Absolutely. By focusing on the local planning aspects of nuclear power, we can finally see the extent to which a nuclear power plant changes local economic, political, and social balances, creating what geographers call a \u201cnuclear territory\u201d. Or perhaps I should say territories, because none of them overlap. <\/a>The question that kept coming up was<\/a>: where does a nuclear power plant\u2019s influence end? So, up to what point should a public inquiry be held? Who should be involved? How far do we evacuate people from the area if there is an incident or accident? Should this area be the same as the area in which economic and fiscal benefits are expected? The constant negotiating and adapting of rules is striking. Every mayor, every departmental <\/a>councilor <\/a>negotiates whether they should be included in the area affected by the construction of a nuclear power plant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What can we learn from this for today and the years to come? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the revival of the French nuclear program, 50 years after Messmer\u2019s plan, all these questions are still relevant today. Every year, the water temperature rises again with each heatwave. In 2023, France asked Switzerland several times to release more water from Lake Geneva to keep EDF\u2019s power plants running. \u00a0In January 2023, the president of the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) called for the issue of water warming, particularly in the Rh\u00f4ne, to be tackled head-on. The last time this topic was widely debated was back in 1975\u20131976. Furthermore, the shutdown of many reactors brought on line in the 1970s is inevitable, whether in 10 or 30 years\u2019 time, raising the question of how to redevelop some of these nuclear areas. There is much that history and the social sciences can offer to make this transition as smooth as possible.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

During your PhD, you worked on the history of nuclear power in France from the 1950s to the 1990s, adopting […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":6871,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_related_content_post":[],"_related_content_subject":[937,124],"_related_content_author":[6911],"_related_content_category":[1720],"_related_content_folder":[6913],"_excerpt":"Interview with Louis Fagon, PhD in History, about his thesis \u201cLe Rh\u00f4ne nucl\u00e9aire des ann\u00e9es 1950 aux ann\u00e9es 1990\u201d (\u201cThe Nuclear Rh\u00f4ne from the 1950s to the 1990s\u201d) at the French Center for International Research on Environment and Development (CIRED).
","_duration":5,"_manual_duration":false,"footnotes":""},"article-types":[13,27],"class_list":["post-6925","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","article-types-article","article-types-folder"],"has_blocks":true,"block_data":[{"blockName":"enpc\/excerpt","attrs":{"lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"","innerContent":[],"rendered":""},{"blockName":"core\/image","attrs":{"id":6871,"sizeSlug":"full","linkDestination":"none","blob":"","url":"https:\/\/ingenius.ecoledesponts.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image.png","alt":"","caption":"","lightbox":[],"title":"","href":"","rel":"","linkClass":"","width":"","height":"","aspectRatio":"","scale":"","linkTarget":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"align":"","className":"wp-block-image size-full","style":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n","innerContent":["\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n"],"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"style":{"elements":{"link":{"color":{"text":"var:preset|color|red"}}}},"textColor":"red","align":"","content":"During your PhD, you worked on the history of nuclear power in France from the 1950s to the 1990s, adopting a local approach, specifically along the Rh\u00f4ne. Why did you focus on this particular river?","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"has-red-color has-text-color has-link-color","backgroundColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n

During your PhD, you worked on the history of nuclear power in France from the 1950s to the 1990s, adopting a local approach, specifically along the Rh\u00f4ne. Why did you focus on this particular river?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n

During your PhD, you worked on the history of nuclear power in France from the 1950s to the 1990s, adopting a local approach, specifically along the Rh\u00f4ne. Why did you focus on this particular river?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n

During your PhD, you worked on the history of nuclear power in France from the 1950s to the 1990s, adopting a local approach, specifically along the Rh\u00f4ne. Why did you focus on this particular river?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"textColor":"dark-grey","align":"","content":"The history of France\u2019s nuclear program has always been told from a national perspective, whether in relation to the atomic bomb or the nuclear power program of the 1970s. But focusing on one river, in this case the Rh\u00f4ne, reveals how complex the development of nuclear power has been since the 1950s, and raises some very topical questions, including the economic impact and the environmental aspects of this industry.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"has-dark-grey-color has-text-color","style":"","backgroundColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n

The history of France\u2019s nuclear program has always been told from a national perspective, whether in relation to the atomic bomb or the nuclear power program<\/a> of the 1970s. But focusing on one river, in this case the Rh\u00f4ne, reveals how complex the development of nuclear power has been since the 1950s, and raises some very topical questions, including the economic impact and the environmental aspects of this industry.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n

The history of France\u2019s nuclear program has always been told from a national perspective, whether in relation to the atomic bomb or the nuclear power program<\/a> of the 1970s. But focusing on one river, in this case the Rh\u00f4ne, reveals how complex the development of nuclear power has been since the 1950s, and raises some very topical questions, including the economic impact and the environmental aspects of this industry.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n

The history of France\u2019s nuclear program has always been told from a national perspective, whether in relation to the atomic bomb or the nuclear power program<\/a> of the 1970s. But focusing on one river, in this case the Rh\u00f4ne, reveals how complex the development of nuclear power has been since the 1950s, and raises some very topical questions, including the economic impact and the environmental aspects of this industry.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"style":{"elements":{"link":{"color":{"text":"var:preset|color|red"}}}},"textColor":"red","align":"","content":"Why are there so many nuclear power plants along the Rh\u00f4ne?","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"has-red-color has-text-color has-link-color","backgroundColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n

Why are there so many nuclear power plants along the Rh\u00f4ne?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n

Why are there so many nuclear power plants along the Rh\u00f4ne?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n

Why are there so many nuclear power plants along the Rh\u00f4ne?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"They are certainly an inescapable part of the landscape, whether you are driving along the highway at Cruas, taking the train at Tricastin, or taking off from Lyon and flying over Bugey. After doing some reading, I realized that what these power plants all have in common is their proximity to the river. They draw the water needed to cool their reactors from the river, and periodically discharge radioactive effluent and heated water into it. This prompted me to ask a number of questions: How did the planning process for these plants unfold? What were the local impacts and debates? What can we learn by writing a local history of nuclear power?","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":"","backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n

They are certainly an inescapable part of the landscape, whether you are driving along the highway at Cruas, taking the train at Tricastin, or taking off from Lyon and flying over Bugey. After doing some reading, I realized that what these power plants all have in common is their proximity to the river. They draw the water needed to cool their reactors from the river, and periodically discharge radioactive effluent and heated water into it. This prompted me to ask a number of questions: How did the planning process for these plants unfold? What were the local impacts and debates? What can we learn by writing a local history of nuclear power?<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n

They are certainly an inescapable part of the landscape, whether you are driving along the highway at Cruas, taking the train at Tricastin, or taking off from Lyon and flying over Bugey. After doing some reading, I realized that what these power plants all have in common is their proximity to the river. They draw the water needed to cool their reactors from the river, and periodically discharge radioactive effluent and heated water into it. This prompted me to ask a number of questions: How did the planning process for these plants unfold? What were the local impacts and debates? What can we learn by writing a local history of nuclear power?<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n

They are certainly an inescapable part of the landscape, whether you are driving along the highway at Cruas, taking the train at Tricastin, or taking off from Lyon and flying over Bugey. After doing some reading, I realized that what these power plants all have in common is their proximity to the river. They draw the water needed to cool their reactors from the river, and periodically discharge radioactive effluent and heated water into it. This prompted me to ask a number of questions: How did the planning process for these plants unfold? What were the local impacts and debates? What can we learn by writing a local history of nuclear power?<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"style":{"elements":{"link":{"color":{"text":"var:preset|color|red"}}}},"textColor":"red","align":"","content":"What did you find out when you looked into this local history?","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"has-red-color has-text-color has-link-color","backgroundColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n

What did you find out when you looked into this local history?<\/strong><\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n

What did you find out when you looked into this local history?<\/strong><\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n

What did you find out when you looked into this local history?<\/strong><\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"When I read books on the history of the French nuclear industry, I noticed a major disconnect between historians, who focus on the political history of the nuclear program decided at national level by a Paris-based circle of \u201cnucleocrats\u201d, and science historians, sociologists, and most importantly geographers, who start from the ground up, from each site and its physical operating environment. A common theme running through these works is the difficulty of finding archival materials. Most of them get around this by using interviews, obtaining files from former engineers, or gaining privileged access to archives such as those of EDF or the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA).","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":"","backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n

When I read books on the history of the French nuclear industry, I noticed a major disconnect between historians, who focus on the political history of the nuclear program decided at national level by a Paris-based circle of \u201cnucleocrats\u201d, and science historians, sociologists, and most importantly geographers, who start from the ground up, from each site and its physical operating environment. A common theme running through these works is the difficulty of finding archival materials. Most of them get around this by using interviews, obtaining files from former engineers, or gaining privileged access to archives such as those of EDF or the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA).<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n

When I read books on the history of the French nuclear industry, I noticed a major disconnect between historians, who focus on the political history of the nuclear program decided at national level by a Paris-based circle of \u201cnucleocrats\u201d, and science historians, sociologists, and most importantly geographers, who start from the ground up, from each site and its physical operating environment. A common theme running through these works is the difficulty of finding archival materials. Most of them get around this by using interviews, obtaining files from former engineers, or gaining privileged access to archives such as those of EDF or the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA).<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n

When I read books on the history of the French nuclear industry, I noticed a major disconnect between historians, who focus on the political history of the nuclear program decided at national level by a Paris-based circle of \u201cnucleocrats\u201d, and science historians, sociologists, and most importantly geographers, who start from the ground up, from each site and its physical operating environment. A common theme running through these works is the difficulty of finding archival materials. Most of them get around this by using interviews, obtaining files from former engineers, or gaining privileged access to archives such as those of EDF or the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA).<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"style":{"elements":{"link":{"color":{"text":"var:preset|color|red"}}}},"textColor":"red","align":"","content":"What was your approach to overcoming these difficulties?","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"has-red-color has-text-color has-link-color","backgroundColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n

What was your approach to overcoming these difficulties?<\/strong><\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n

What was your approach to overcoming these difficulties?<\/strong><\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n

What was your approach to overcoming these difficulties?<\/strong><\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"As a historian trained in how to use written archives, I quickly realized that interviewing nuclear engineers on such a technical subject required a solid background in the field. The French National Archives are a treasure trove of information, but entire collections require special clearance. I needed another way of getting around this to write a local history of nuclear power.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":"","backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n

As a historian trained in how to use written archives, I quickly realized that interviewing nuclear engineers on such a technical subject required a solid background in the field. The French National Archives are a treasure trove of information, but entire collections require special clearance. I needed another way of getting around this to write a local history of nuclear power.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n

As a historian trained in how to use written archives, I quickly realized that interviewing nuclear engineers on such a technical subject required a solid background in the field. The French National Archives are a treasure trove of information, but entire collections require special clearance. I needed another way of getting around this to write a local history of nuclear power.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n

As a historian trained in how to use written archives, I quickly realized that interviewing nuclear engineers on such a technical subject required a solid background in the field. The French National Archives are a treasure trove of information, but entire collections require special clearance. I needed another way of getting around this to write a local history of nuclear power.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"Fortunately, central government is not the be-all and end-all when it comes to running our country. While the program is decided at the national level, there are mechanisms in place to pass on the decision and implement it at the local level. Every file that passes through a ministry leaves a trace at every level of government, so you just have to do a lot of research. I was lucky enough to find records in every departmental capital\u2019s archive, and sometimes in duplicate, as the Rh\u00f4ne is an administrative boundary. I undertook a systematic search of every archive that included a keyword related to nuclear energy or a nuclear power plant.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":"","backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n

Fortunately, central government is not the be-all and end-all when it comes to running our country. While the program is decided at the national level, there are mechanisms in place to pass on the decision and implement it at the local level. Every file that passes through a ministry leaves a trace at every level of government, so you just have to do a lot of research. I was lucky enough to find records in every departmental capital\u2019s archive, and sometimes in duplicate, as the Rh\u00f4ne is an administrative boundary. I undertook a systematic search of every archive that included a keyword related to nuclear energy or a nuclear power plant.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n

Fortunately, central government is not the be-all and end-all when it comes to running our country. While the program is decided at the national level, there are mechanisms in place to pass on the decision and implement it at the local level. Every file that passes through a ministry leaves a trace at every level of government, so you just have to do a lot of research. I was lucky enough to find records in every departmental capital\u2019s archive, and sometimes in duplicate, as the Rh\u00f4ne is an administrative boundary. I undertook a systematic search of every archive that included a keyword related to nuclear energy or a nuclear power plant.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n

Fortunately, central government is not the be-all and end-all when it comes to running our country. While the program is decided at the national level, there are mechanisms in place to pass on the decision and implement it at the local level. Every file that passes through a ministry leaves a trace at every level of government, so you just have to do a lot of research. I was lucky enough to find records in every departmental capital\u2019s archive, and sometimes in duplicate, as the Rh\u00f4ne is an administrative boundary. I undertook a systematic search of every archive that included a keyword related to nuclear energy or a nuclear power plant.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"style":{"elements":{"link":{"color":{"text":"var:preset|color|red"}}}},"textColor":"red","align":"","content":"What did you learn by changing the scale of your analysis? ","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"has-red-color has-text-color has-link-color","backgroundColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n

What did you learn by changing the scale of your analysis? <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n

What did you learn by changing the scale of your analysis? <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n

What did you learn by changing the scale of your analysis? <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"First of all, I realized that the much-maligned \u201cnuclear state\u201d is much less of a unanimous force than most people think. There is even considerable tension. In the 1950s and 1960s, the CEA was not particularly enthusiastic about cooperating with the prefectures, whether to recruit workers or control its industrial effluent. Sites such as Pierrelatte (in Dr\u00f4me) and Marcoule (in Gard) even formed their own intelligence services to bypass the intelligence services in the d\u00e9partement.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":"","backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n

First of all, I realized that the much-maligned \u201cnuclear state\u201d is much less of a unanimous force than most people think. There is even considerable tension. In the 1950s and 1960s, the CEA was not particularly enthusiastic about cooperating with the prefectures, whether to recruit workers or control its industrial effluent. Sites such as Pierrelatte (in Dr\u00f4me) and Marcoule (in Gard) even formed their own intelligence services to bypass the intelligence services in the d\u00e9partement<\/em>.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n

First of all, I realized that the much-maligned \u201cnuclear state\u201d is much less of a unanimous force than most people think. There is even considerable tension. In the 1950s and 1960s, the CEA was not particularly enthusiastic about cooperating with the prefectures, whether to recruit workers or control its industrial effluent. Sites such as Pierrelatte (in Dr\u00f4me) and Marcoule (in Gard) even formed their own intelligence services to bypass the intelligence services in the d\u00e9partement<\/em>.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n

First of all, I realized that the much-maligned \u201cnuclear state\u201d is much less of a unanimous force than most people think. There is even considerable tension. In the 1950s and 1960s, the CEA was not particularly enthusiastic about cooperating with the prefectures, whether to recruit workers or control its industrial effluent. Sites such as Pierrelatte (in Dr\u00f4me) and Marcoule (in Gard) even formed their own intelligence services to bypass the intelligence services in the d\u00e9partement<\/em>.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"We can also see that the tension around nuclear power is far more complex than merely a clash between EDF and anti-nuclear protesters. From early on, EDF teams were planning to build power plants along the entire length of the river. In 1966, the entire riverbank was surveyed as part of a large-scale development plan. In the 1970s, when the power plant building program accelerated along the Rh\u00f4ne and throughout France (symbolized by the famous Messmer Plan announced in 1974), the drive for nuclear power gained momentum and numerous sites were considered, many of which have since been forgotten (see map).","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":"","backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n

We can also see that the tension around nuclear power is far more complex than merely a clash between EDF and anti-nuclear <\/a>protesters<\/a>. From early on, EDF teams were planning to build power plants along the entire length of the river. In 1966, the entire riverbank was surveyed as part of a large-scale development plan. In the 1970s, when the power plant building program accelerated along the Rh\u00f4ne and throughout France (symbolized by the famous Messmer Plan announced in 1974), the drive for nuclear power gained momentum and numerous sites were considered, many of which have since been forgotten (see map).<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n

We can also see that the tension around nuclear power is far more complex than merely a clash between EDF and anti-nuclear <\/a>protesters<\/a>. From early on, EDF teams were planning to build power plants along the entire length of the river. In 1966, the entire riverbank was surveyed as part of a large-scale development plan. In the 1970s, when the power plant building program accelerated along the Rh\u00f4ne and throughout France (symbolized by the famous Messmer Plan announced in 1974), the drive for nuclear power gained momentum and numerous sites were considered, many of which have since been forgotten (see map).<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n

We can also see that the tension around nuclear power is far more complex than merely a clash between EDF and anti-nuclear <\/a>protesters<\/a>. From early on, EDF teams were planning to build power plants along the entire length of the river. In 1966, the entire riverbank was surveyed as part of a large-scale development plan. In the 1970s, when the power plant building program accelerated along the Rh\u00f4ne and throughout France (symbolized by the famous Messmer Plan announced in 1974), the drive for nuclear power gained momentum and numerous sites were considered, many of which have since been forgotten (see map).<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"This huge \u201cnuclearization\u201d effort attracted a lot of attention from local government officials looking to revitalize their communes or cantons, but it also worried the agencies responsible for managing the river\u2019s water. The sheer scale of the program sparked internal debate at the River Basin Agency and among the engineers overseeing navigation on the river. Thermal pollution was the major issue of the 1970s, fueling fears of the Rh\u00f4ne, already highly industrialized and urbanized, becoming saturated.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":"","backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n

This huge \u201cnuclearization\u201d effort attracted a lot of attention from local government officials looking to revitalize their communes or cantons, but it also worried the agencies responsible for managing the river\u2019s water. The sheer scale of the program sparked internal debate at the River Basin Agency and among the engineers overseeing navigation on the river. Thermal pollution was the major issue of the 1970s, fueling fears of the Rh\u00f4ne, already highly industrialized and urbanized, becoming saturated.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n

This huge \u201cnuclearization\u201d effort attracted a lot of attention from local government officials looking to revitalize their communes or cantons, but it also worried the agencies responsible for managing the river\u2019s water. The sheer scale of the program sparked internal debate at the River Basin Agency and among the engineers overseeing navigation on the river. Thermal pollution was the major issue of the 1970s, fueling fears of the Rh\u00f4ne, already highly industrialized and urbanized, becoming saturated.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n

This huge \u201cnuclearization\u201d effort attracted a lot of attention from local government officials looking to revitalize their communes or cantons, but it also worried the agencies responsible for managing the river\u2019s water. The sheer scale of the program sparked internal debate at the River Basin Agency and among the engineers overseeing navigation on the river. Thermal pollution was the major issue of the 1970s, fueling fears of the Rh\u00f4ne, already highly industrialized and urbanized, becoming saturated.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/image","attrs":{"id":6873,"sizeSlug":"full","linkDestination":"none","blob":"","url":"https:\/\/ingenius.ecoledesponts.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-1.png","alt":"","caption":"Nuclear sites planned and built along the Rh\u00f4ne (created with QGIS by L. Fagon, 2024, all rights reserved).","lightbox":[],"title":"","href":"","rel":"","linkClass":"","width":"","height":"","aspectRatio":"","scale":"","linkTarget":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"align":"","className":"wp-block-image size-full","style":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n

\"\"
Nuclear sites planned and built along the Rh\u00f4ne (created with QGIS by L. Fagon, 2024, all rights reserved).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","innerContent":["\n
\"\"
Nuclear sites planned and built along the Rh\u00f4ne (created with QGIS by L. Fagon, 2024, all rights reserved).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n"],"rendered":"\n
\"\"
Nuclear sites planned and built along the Rh\u00f4ne (created with QGIS by L. Fagon, 2024, all rights reserved).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":"","backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n

<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n

<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n

<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"style":{"elements":{"link":{"color":{"text":"var:preset|color|red"}}}},"textColor":"red","align":"","content":"In your thesis, you also mention the Compagnie Nationale du Rh\u00f4ne (CNR). What role did it play in this story?","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"has-red-color has-text-color has-link-color","backgroundColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n

In your thesis, you also mention the Compagnie Nationale du Rh\u00f4ne (CNR). What role did it play in this story?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n

In your thesis, you also mention the Compagnie Nationale du Rh\u00f4ne (CNR). What role did it play in this story?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n

In your thesis, you also mention the Compagnie Nationale du Rh\u00f4ne (CNR). What role did it play in this story?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"CNR was one of the few electricity generation companies to escape nationalization in 1946, when EDF came into being. CNR\u2019s dams not only generate electricity, but are also used for navigation and irrigation along the Rh\u00f4ne, so it never became part of EDF. It was, however, financially dependent on the national electricity company, and relations became strained when EDF turned all its financial resources to nuclear power from 1974. Potential sites along the river were few and far between. They were therefore highly sought-after for building dams as well as nuclear power plants.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":"","backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n

CNR was one of the few electricity generation companies to escape nationalization in 1946, when EDF came into being. CNR\u2019s dams not only generate electricity, but are also used for navigation and irrigation along the Rh\u00f4ne, so it never became part of EDF. It was, however, financially dependent on the national electricity company, and relations became strained when EDF turned all its financial resources to nuclear power from 1974. Potential sites along the river were few and far between. They were therefore highly sought-after for building dams as well as nuclear power plants.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n

CNR was one of the few electricity generation companies to escape nationalization in 1946, when EDF came into being. CNR\u2019s dams not only generate electricity, but are also used for navigation and irrigation along the Rh\u00f4ne, so it never became part of EDF. It was, however, financially dependent on the national electricity company, and relations became strained when EDF turned all its financial resources to nuclear power from 1974. Potential sites along the river were few and far between. They were therefore highly sought-after for building dams as well as nuclear power plants.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n

CNR was one of the few electricity generation companies to escape nationalization in 1946, when EDF came into being. CNR\u2019s dams not only generate electricity, but are also used for navigation and irrigation along the Rh\u00f4ne, so it never became part of EDF. It was, however, financially dependent on the national electricity company, and relations became strained when EDF turned all its financial resources to nuclear power from 1974. Potential sites along the river were few and far between. They were therefore highly sought-after for building dams as well as nuclear power plants.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"style":{"elements":{"link":{"color":{"text":"var:preset|color|red"}}}},"textColor":"red","align":"","content":"When focusing on the local aspects, did you study the economic, political, and social repercussions?","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"has-red-color has-text-color has-link-color","backgroundColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n

When focusing on the local aspects, did you study the economic, political, and social repercussions?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n

When focusing on the local aspects, did you study the economic, political, and social repercussions?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n

When focusing on the local aspects, did you study the economic, political, and social repercussions?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"align":"","content":"Absolutely. By focusing on the local planning aspects of nuclear power, we can finally see the extent to which a nuclear power plant changes local economic, political, and social balances, creating what geographers call a \u201cnuclear territory\u201d. Or perhaps I should say territories, because none of them overlap. The question that kept coming up was: where does a nuclear power plant\u2019s influence end? So, up to what point should a public inquiry be held? Who should be involved? How far do we evacuate people from the area if there is an incident or accident? Should this area be the same as the area in which economic and fiscal benefits are expected? The constant negotiating and adapting of rules is striking. Every mayor, every departmental councilor negotiates whether they should be included in the area affected by the construction of a nuclear power plant.","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"","style":"","backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n

Absolutely. By focusing on the local planning aspects of nuclear power, we can finally see the extent to which a nuclear power plant changes local economic, political, and social balances, creating what geographers call a \u201cnuclear territory\u201d. Or perhaps I should say territories, because none of them overlap. <\/a>The question that kept coming up was<\/a>: where does a nuclear power plant\u2019s influence end? So, up to what point should a public inquiry be held? Who should be involved? How far do we evacuate people from the area if there is an incident or accident? Should this area be the same as the area in which economic and fiscal benefits are expected? The constant negotiating and adapting of rules is striking. Every mayor, every departmental <\/a>councilor <\/a>negotiates whether they should be included in the area affected by the construction of a nuclear power plant.<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n

Absolutely. By focusing on the local planning aspects of nuclear power, we can finally see the extent to which a nuclear power plant changes local economic, political, and social balances, creating what geographers call a \u201cnuclear territory\u201d. Or perhaps I should say territories, because none of them overlap. <\/a>The question that kept coming up was<\/a>: where does a nuclear power plant\u2019s influence end? So, up to what point should a public inquiry be held? Who should be involved? How far do we evacuate people from the area if there is an incident or accident? Should this area be the same as the area in which economic and fiscal benefits are expected? The constant negotiating and adapting of rules is striking. Every mayor, every departmental <\/a>councilor <\/a>negotiates whether they should be included in the area affected by the construction of a nuclear power plant.<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n

Absolutely. By focusing on the local planning aspects of nuclear power, we can finally see the extent to which a nuclear power plant changes local economic, political, and social balances, creating what geographers call a \u201cnuclear territory\u201d. Or perhaps I should say territories, because none of them overlap. <\/a>The question that kept coming up was<\/a>: where does a nuclear power plant\u2019s influence end? So, up to what point should a public inquiry be held? Who should be involved? How far do we evacuate people from the area if there is an incident or accident? Should this area be the same as the area in which economic and fiscal benefits are expected? The constant negotiating and adapting of rules is striking. Every mayor, every departmental <\/a>councilor <\/a>negotiates whether they should be included in the area affected by the construction of a nuclear power plant.<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"style":{"elements":{"link":{"color":{"text":"var:preset|color|red"}}}},"textColor":"red","align":"","content":"What can we learn from this for today and the years to come?\u00a0","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"has-red-color has-text-color has-link-color","backgroundColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n

What can we learn from this for today and the years to come? <\/strong><\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n

What can we learn from this for today and the years to come? <\/strong><\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n

What can we learn from this for today and the years to come? <\/strong><\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"textColor":"dark-grey","align":"","content":"With the revival of the French nuclear program, 50 years after Messmer\u2019s plan, all these questions are still relevant today. Every year, the water temperature rises again with each heatwave. In 2023, France asked Switzerland several times to release more water from Lake Geneva to keep EDF\u2019s power plants running. \u00a0In January 2023, the president of the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) called for the issue of water warming, particularly in the Rh\u00f4ne, to be tackled head-on. The last time this topic was widely debated was back in 1975\u20131976. Furthermore, the shutdown of many reactors brought on line in the 1970s is inevitable, whether in 10 or 30 years\u2019 time, raising the question of how to redevelop some of these nuclear areas. There is much that history and the social sciences can offer to make this transition as smooth as possible.\u00a0","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"has-dark-grey-color has-text-color","style":"","backgroundColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n

With the revival of the French nuclear program, 50 years after Messmer\u2019s plan, all these questions are still relevant today. Every year, the water temperature rises again with each heatwave. In 2023, France asked Switzerland several times to release more water from Lake Geneva to keep EDF\u2019s power plants running. \u00a0In January 2023, the president of the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) called for the issue of water warming, particularly in the Rh\u00f4ne, to be tackled head-on. The last time this topic was widely debated was back in 1975\u20131976. Furthermore, the shutdown of many reactors brought on line in the 1970s is inevitable, whether in 10 or 30 years\u2019 time, raising the question of how to redevelop some of these nuclear areas. There is much that history and the social sciences can offer to make this transition as smooth as possible.\u00a0<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n

With the revival of the French nuclear program, 50 years after Messmer\u2019s plan, all these questions are still relevant today. Every year, the water temperature rises again with each heatwave. In 2023, France asked Switzerland several times to release more water from Lake Geneva to keep EDF\u2019s power plants running. \u00a0In January 2023, the president of the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) called for the issue of water warming, particularly in the Rh\u00f4ne, to be tackled head-on. The last time this topic was widely debated was back in 1975\u20131976. Furthermore, the shutdown of many reactors brought on line in the 1970s is inevitable, whether in 10 or 30 years\u2019 time, raising the question of how to redevelop some of these nuclear areas. There is much that history and the social sciences can offer to make this transition as smooth as possible.\u00a0<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n

With the revival of the French nuclear program, 50 years after Messmer\u2019s plan, all these questions are still relevant today. Every year, the water temperature rises again with each heatwave. In 2023, France asked Switzerland several times to release more water from Lake Geneva to keep EDF\u2019s power plants running. \u00a0In January 2023, the president of the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) called for the issue of water warming, particularly in the Rh\u00f4ne, to be tackled head-on. The last time this topic was widely debated was back in 1975\u20131976. Furthermore, the shutdown of many reactors brought on line in the 1970s is inevitable, whether in 10 or 30 years\u2019 time, raising the question of how to redevelop some of these nuclear areas. There is much that history and the social sciences can offer to make this transition as smooth as possible.\u00a0<\/p>\n"},{"blockName":"core\/paragraph","attrs":{"textColor":"dark-grey","align":"","content":"","dropCap":false,"placeholder":"","direction":"","lock":[],"metadata":[],"className":"has-dark-grey-color has-text-color","style":"","backgroundColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n

<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n

<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n

<\/p>\n"}],"seo":{"title":"Nuclear power (also) has a local history: the case of the Rh\u00f4ne River"},"media":{"img":"\"\"","src":"https:\/\/ingenius.ecoledesponts.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image.png"},"url":"\/en\/articles\/nuclear-power-also-has-a-local-history-the-case-of-the-rhone-river\/","related":{"post":[],"author":[{"title":"Louis Fagon","url":"\/en\/authors\/louis-fagon\/","id":"6911","media":"\"\"","slug":"louis-fagon"}],"subject":[{"title":"Energy, Ecology & Climate","url":"\/en\/subjects\/energy-ecology-climate\/","id":"937","media":"\"\"","slug":"energy-ecology-climate"},{"title":"Economics & Society","url":"\/en\/subjects\/economics-society\/","id":"124","media":"\"\"","slug":"economics-society"}],"category":[{"title":"Article collection","url":"\/en\/articles\/category\/dossier\/","id":"1720","media":"","slug":"dossier","_related_post_type":"folder"}],"folder":[{"title":"Nuclear power : history, risks and challenges","url":"\/en\/folders\/nuclear-power-history-risks-and-challenges\/","id":"6913","media":"\"\"","slug":"nuclear-power-history-risks-and-challenges"}]},"translated":"https:\/\/ingenius.ecoledesponts.fr\/articles\/le-nucleaire-a-aussi-une-histoire-locale-lexemple-du-rhone\/","icon":"icon-article","duration":"5","custom_excerpt":"Interview with Louis Fagon, PhD in History, about his thesis \u201cLe Rh\u00f4ne nucl\u00e9aire des ann\u00e9es 1950 aux ann\u00e9es 1990\u201d (\u201cThe Nuclear Rh\u00f4ne from the 1950s to the 1990s\u201d) at the French Center for International Research on Environment and Development (CIRED).
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