The Nuclear Interlude: Crowding Out or Preparing Ground?

France's massive nuclear buildout from 1970-1990 seemingly left little room for renewables. Why develop expensive, intermittent sources when nuclear provided abundant, low-carbon electricity? This logic dominated French energy thinking for decades, leading to minimal renewable development compared to Germany or Denmark.

Yet the nuclear program inadvertently prepared ground for renewables. The extensive grid built for nuclear plants could accommodate distributed generation. Experience managing nuclear's inflexibility—reactors can't quickly adjust output—provided expertise for handling renewable intermittency. The institutional framework for large-scale energy projects transferred to renewable development.

Some prescient voices advocated renewable development despite nuclear abundance. Amory Lovins' "soft energy path" found French adherents who argued for energy diversity. The oil crises demonstrated dependence dangers, even with nuclear electricity. Small renewable projects continued, often in remote areas where grid connection was expensive, maintaining expertise for later expansion.