Greenwashing Nuclear Power

The above photo from the Wikipedia entry that includes a map of nuclear power plants in France.

Proponents of nuclear power often cite France as an example of its great success. (Apparently unfamiliar with the French history of dumping nuclear waste in the oceans.)

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The Guardian reports the following regarding nuclear power in France (read the full article regarding the recent leak using the link):

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Last month an accident at the treatment centre during a draining operation saw liquid containing untreated uranium overflow out of a faulty tank. About 75kg of uranium seeped into the ground and into the Gaffiere and Lauzon rivers which flow into the Rhône. Eymard's house is 100 metres from one of these streams.

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The French government has now ordered tests on the groundwater around all nuclear sites in France. The environment minister, Jean-Louis Borloo, said there were 86 level-one nuclear incidents in France last year and 114 in 2006.

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France's IRSN nuclear safety institute has pinpointed high levels of uranium in the groundwater that it said could not have been caused by the recent leak alone. A separate commission raised the possibility that this contamination could be linked to military nuclear waste at the Tricastin plant from 1964 to 1976.