Energy and Nuclear Excellence

France's nuclear industry represents perhaps the most ambitious industrial policy success. With 56 reactors providing 70% of electricity, nuclear expertise became an export industry.

The Nuclear Ecosystem

Nuclear manufacturing involves extreme precision and safety:

- Framatome produces reactor vessels and steam generators - Specialized forges like Creusot Forge create massive components - Hundreds of qualified suppliers provide specialized equipment - Rigorous quality systems with decades-long traceability

The Le Creusot facility, operating since 1836, illustrates industrial evolution. Once producing cannons and rail equipment, it now forges reactor vessels weighing 500 tons with millimeter precision.

Renaissance and Challenges

After years of stagnation, nuclear manufacturing experiences renewed interest:

- Six new EPR reactors announced for France - Export opportunities as countries embrace nuclear for decarbonization - Small Modular Reactor (SMR) development by EDF and startups - Fusion energy research through ITER project

Yet challenges remain:

- Skills gap as experienced workers retire - Cost overruns on recent projects damaging credibility - Public acceptance varying by country - Competition from renewable energy

Pierre Martineau, a nuclear welder with 30 years' experience, trains apprentices:

"Nuclear welding requires absolute perfection—x-ray inspection catches any flaw. It takes five years to train someone properly. We lost a generation when new construction stopped, and now we're racing to rebuild competencies."