--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: France generates a significant part of…" description: "\"France generates a significant part of its energy requirements from fission reactors and these have achieved a perfect safety record. We build ours all..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a92/wilson-greatbatch-31614_climate_france-generates-a-significant-part-of-i_3083079.png" --- # France generates a significant part of its energy… ![“France generates a significant part of its energy requirements from fission reactors and these have achieved a perfect safety record. We build ours all differently.” quote by Wilson Greatbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a92/wilson-greatbatch-31614_climate_france-generates-a-significant-part-of-i_3083079.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a92/wilson-greatbatch-31614_climate_france-generates-a-significant-part-of-i_3083079.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a92/wilson-greatbatch-31614_climate_france-generates-a-significant-part-of-i_3083079.png) > “France generates a significant part of its energy requirements from fission reactors and these have achieved a perfect safety record. We build ours all differently.” [Wilson Greatbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilson-greatbatch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. France’s nuclear fleet has an excellent safety record, but the speaker advocates a different approach to reactor design and safety management. **In simple terms:** France’s nuclear power is safe, yet we should build reactors differently. Key Takeaway Consider alternative designs for safer nuclear energy. Themes energy policy safety technology innovation environment Mood cautious optimistic Type policy technical When to use this quote - government planning - energy infrastructure - public safety campaigns Key Concepts nuclear engineering risk management policy reform Questions to Reflect On - How can new reactor designs be incentivized? - What trade‑offs exist between safety and cost? A Different Perspective Alternative designs may face higher costs and regulatory hurdles. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Fission](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fission/) [Fission Reactors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fission-reactors-4556375/) [France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/france/) [France Generates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/france-generates-5267161/) [Perfect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect/) [Reactors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reactors-1267169/) [Reactors Achieved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reactors-achieved-5267162/) [Records](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/records/) [Requirements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/requirements/) [Safety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safety/) [Significant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/significant/) ## Related quotes > [In the design of fission reactors man was not an innovator but an unwitting imitator of nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-cowan/in-the-design-of-fission-reactors-man-was-not-an-innovator-but-an/) [George Cowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-cowan/) > [We have never succeeded in slowing down our nuclear fusion reactors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilson-greatbatch/we-have-never-succeeded-in-slowing-down-our-nuclear-fusion-reactors/) [Wilson Greatbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilson-greatbatch/) > [Nearly all of our existing power sources are generators which use a heat cycle. This includes our coal, oil, and gas fired utilities, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilson-greatbatch/nearly-all-of-our-existing-power-sources-are-generators-which-use-a/) [Wilson Greatbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilson-greatbatch/) > [Rocket scientists agree that we have about reached the limit of our ability to travel in space using chemical rockets. To achieve anything near…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilson-greatbatch/rocket-scientists-agree-that-we-have-about-reached-the-limit-of-our/) [Wilson Greatbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilson-greatbatch/) > [In the West, when all of these reactors, nuclear reactors, are matters...part of the public domain, there are all kinds of supervision over them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akbar-ganji/in-the-west-when-all-of-these-reactors-nuclear-reactors-are-matters/) [Akbar Ganji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akbar-ganji/) > [...Many of us are perpetual reactors. We let other people determine our actions and attitudes. We let other people determine whether we will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/many-of-us-are-perpetual-reactors-we-let-other-people-determine-our/) [Marvin J. Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [We are in constant danger of being not actors in the drama of our lives but reactors, to go where the world takes us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/we-are-in-constant-danger-of-being-not-actors-in-the-drama-of-our/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [“As Buechner says, we are in constant danger of being not actors in the drama of our lives but reactors, “to go where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/as-buechner-says-we-are-in-constant-danger-of-being-not-actors-in-the/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [ If they don't close these \[nuclear\] reactors down, we'll have civil war in five years. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/if-they-don-t-close-these-nuclear-reactors-down-we-ll-have-civil-war/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) > [“We are in constant danger of being not actors in the drama of our own lives but reactors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/we-are-in-constant-danger-of-being-not-actors-in-the-drama-of-our-own/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [There is no place where we can safely store worn-out reactors or their garbage. No place!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-r-brower/there-is-no-place-where-we-can-safely-store-worn-out-reactors-or/) [David R. Brower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-r-brower/) > [More than 30 of America's 100 nuclear power reactors have the same brand of General Electric reactors or containment system used in Fukushima.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-dedman/more-than-30-of-america-s-100-nuclear-power-reactors-have-the-same/) [Bill Dedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-dedman/) > [Don't get me wrong: I love nuclear energy! It's just that I prefer fusion to fission. And it just so happens that there's an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mcdonough/don-t-get-me-wrong-i-love-nuclear-energy-it-s-just-that-i-prefer/) [William McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mcdonough/) > [ The technologists claim that if everything works \[in a nuclear fission reactor\] according to their blueprints, fission energy will be a safe and very… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannes-alfven/the-technologists-claim-that-if-everything-works-in-a-nuclear-fission/) [Hannes Alfven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannes-alfven/) > [The pace of science forces the pace of technique. Theoretical physics forces atomic energy on us; the successful production of the fission bomb forces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-pace-of-science-forces-the-pace-of-technique-theoretical-physics/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) ## More by Wilson Greatbatch > [Nuclear fusion of light elements like hydrogen or helium would permit approaching the speed of light. It seems very attractive to refuel your space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilson-greatbatch/nuclear-fusion-of-light-elements-like-hydrogen-or-helium-would-permit/) [Wilson Greatbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilson-greatbatch/) > [Our present nuclear fusion reactors are classified by the methods used to support the nuclear fusion reaction, which takes place at a temperature much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilson-greatbatch/our-present-nuclear-fusion-reactors-are-classified-by-the-methods/) [Wilson Greatbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilson-greatbatch/) > [There is more energy locked up in sources around the solar system than we could ever reasonably expect to need, the problem would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilson-greatbatch/there-is-more-energy-locked-up-in-sources-around-the-solar-system/) [Wilson Greatbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilson-greatbatch/) > [When you buy a gallon of gas, over 60 percent of the energy you pay for goes out the radiator in the form of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilson-greatbatch/when-you-buy-a-gallon-of-gas-over-60-percent-of-the-energy-you-pay/) [Wilson Greatbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilson-greatbatch/) > [Rocket scientists agree that we have about reached the limit of our ability to travel in space using chemical rockets. To achieve anything near…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilson-greatbatch/rocket-scientists-agree-that-we-have-about-reached-the-limit-of-our/) [Wilson Greatbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilson-greatbatch/) > [We need the kind of leadership exemplified by President Kennedy to just do it! But we must do it as good stewards, aggressively exerting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilson-greatbatch/we-need-the-kind-of-leadership-exemplified-by-president-kennedy-to/) [Wilson Greatbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilson-greatbatch/) > [Nearly all of our existing power sources are generators which use a heat cycle. This includes our coal, oil, and gas fired utilities, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilson-greatbatch/nearly-all-of-our-existing-power-sources-are-generators-which-use-a/) [Wilson Greatbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilson-greatbatch/) > [We have never succeeded in slowing down our nuclear fusion reactors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilson-greatbatch/we-have-never-succeeded-in-slowing-down-our-nuclear-fusion-reactors/) [Wilson Greatbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilson-greatbatch/) > [This is no job for a UN committee. It needs the same kind of unwavering dedication and the kinds of people that got us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilson-greatbatch/this-is-no-job-for-a-un-committee-it-needs-the-same-kind-of/) [Wilson Greatbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilson-greatbatch/) > [History has repeatedly shown that when a new method or material becomes available, new uses for it arise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilson-greatbatch/history-has-repeatedly-shown-that-when-a-new-method-or-material/) [Wilson Greatbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilson-greatbatch/) > [It is clear that the nation that assumes stewardship of the Moon now will inherit stewardship of the galaxy in the coming millennium. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilson-greatbatch/it-is-clear-that-the-nation-that-assumes-stewardship-of-the-moon-now/) [Wilson Greatbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilson-greatbatch/) > [I have long felt that an investment by the Department of Energy of a million dollars a year for the next 30 years would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilson-greatbatch/i-have-long-felt-that-an-investment-by-the-department-of-energy-of-a/) [Wilson Greatbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilson-greatbatch/) > [Failure is a learning experience, and the guy who has never failed has never done anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilson-greatbatch/failure-is-a-learning-experience-and-the-guy-who-has-never-failed-has/) [Wilson Greatbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilson-greatbatch/) > [There is more He-3 energy on the Moon than we have ever had in the form of fossil fuels on Earth. 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The next century will be the century of Space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilson-greatbatch/the-20th-century-was-the-century-of-aviation-and-the-century-of/) [Wilson Greatbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilson-greatbatch/) [Explore all 16 Wilson Greatbatch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilson-greatbatch/) ## More Climate quotes > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [In the current climate, things that are true, brave human stories become political.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/in-the-current-climate-things-that-are-true-brave-human-stories/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [Windmills and solar cells are carbon-free sources of electricity. 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We may not agree on the extent, but we certainly can't afford the risk of inaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/climate-change-poses-clear-catastrophic-threats-we-may-not-agree-on/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [Fossil fuels, including oil, are running out and supplies are getting harder to find. If we do nothing, prices will continue to rise and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-powell/fossil-fuels-including-oil-are-running-out-and-supplies-are-getting/) [Lucy Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-powell/) > [Local and state governments have outrun the federal government. 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