A geopolitical and energetic shift has taken place quietly. With the commissioning of its Taipingling 2 and Changjiang 3 reactors, China has overtaken France in terms of installed nuclear power.
Our country, a pioneer and long the undisputed champion of civil nuclear power, is slipping to third place globally, behind the United States and the Middle Kingdom. An event that, beyond the symbol, reveals the consequences of a decade of controversial political decisions.
A gradual abandonment of energy sovereignty
This French setback is not a matter of chance but the culmination of a gradual abandonment of its energy sovereignty. Indeed, the political choices made over the last decade have led to this situation.
The closure of the Fessenheim power plant, coupled with the dogmatic goal of reducing the share of nuclear energy to 50% in the energy mix, is a turning point. These decisions are so many blows dealt to the legacy of the plan Messmer, which provided France with a clear energy doctrine and strategic independence.
The Chinese industrial strategy
While France was debating its nuclear fleet, China was rolling out an industrial strategy of considerable scale. The country has 62 reactors in service and 37 are under construction. The goal is to reach 110 gigawatts of nuclear capacity by 2030.
Pékin relies on its own technology, the Hualong One reactors, which are already operational. Of the last ten reactors commissioned worldwide, seven are Chinese. This long-term planning contrasts sharply with European hesitation.
Nuclear fusion: France lagging behind
The downgrade is not limited to fission nuclear power. On the front of nuclear fusion, presented as the energy of tomorrow, China and the United States are investing heavily.
Technology giants like Microsoft and Google are already signing supply contracts with start-ups in the sector to power their future data centers and artificial intelligences, anticipating an explosion in electricity demand. In France, the subject remains confined to the field of fundamental research, far from immediate industrial challenges.
The symptom of a deeper erosion
This phenomenon is part of a broader context of Chinese dominance over strategic value chains. Pékin concentrates 90% of rare earth refining, essential for advanced technologies, and 80% of global solar panel production.
In France, the downgrade in nuclear power is the symptom of a deeper erosion. By giving up control of its energy destiny, France has weakened one of the pillars of its power.
While China is implementing a vision that is reminiscent of what made France's strength in the past, the question of our country's place on the world stage is raised. It is no longer just a technological competition, but a question about France's willingness to remain a sovereign power in the 21st century.
Bernard BERTUCCO VAN DAMME