Électricité Nucléaire

This French commerce–promotion film, produced for the government by Actualités Françaises, shows off the early nuclear power stations of the “UNGG” series. Although similar in overall concept to the British MAGNOX stations, they were considerably less successful.

The first part of the film shows us a surprising amount of detail of the air–cooled G1, G2, and G3 reactors at Marcoule, considering that they were military plutonium–production units, similar to Hanford in the USA. G1 generated some electricity from a waste heat recovery boiler, but less than its blowers consumed! G2 and G3 actually supplied modest amounts of electricity to the grid, and the narration boasts that G3 was the first power–producing reactor in the world to be refueled on–load.

The remainder of the film concentrates on the EDF–1 through EDF–4 reactor plants at Chinon, in the valley of the Loire. The form of the graphite moderator blocks and the method of assembling them are shown, along with the fuel elements and tests of the refueling machinery. The prestressed concrete construction adopted for the later units also comes in for some comment.

The title card appears to be an artist’s rendition of the “Atomium”, centerpiece of the 1959 Brussels Exposition, which itself was modeled on the crystal structure of iron.

Captions will be added when I can.

Taken from a French commerce promotion film, produced by Actualités Françaises.

Three subjects are shown : first, the smelting plant of the Taiwan Aluminium Corporation at Kaoching, noting uses of the light metal in architecture and other fields, from luggage to cigarette packets. Second, the Shek Pik reservoir project in Hong Kong ― with footage of people queueing for water from trucks, and water being imported by tanker. Third, the Jatiluhur irrigation dam (with hydroelectric plant) in Java, Indonesia, east of Jakarta, in the course of construction.

Footage of the opening of Shek Pik in November, 1963, suggests that this film was probably released early in 1964.

Wolf Creek Generating Station reached 20 years of commercial operation September 3, 2005. Enclosed is a DVD commemorating this historic event.

Since initial operation, we have been committed to producing safe, reliable, cost–effective electricity. We pride outselfs not only on our production history but also on our commitment to environmental stewardship and community involvement.

Wolf Creek’s success during the past 20 years is a tribute to the support of our owners and the dedication, skill, and effort of Wolf Creek employees and contractors.

―Rick Muench, President and Chief Executive Officer, Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Company

The Canadian origins of this film are suggested by shots of the Pickering nuclear station, references to the Great Lakes, emphasis on developments in Francophone countries, and an interview with Ron Alward of McGill University. Unfortunately, it does not use metric units. It would also be nice if the people appearing in the film were provided with identifying captions.

The first segment (02:15―09:40) is dedicated to the Rance tidal power station in Brittany, an explanation of the one– and two–basin systems, and a discussion of the economics of pumped storage. Note the apparently unmotivated mention of Russia about 09:30. The second segment (09:40 onwards) examines solar energy, beginning with the Mont–Louis and Odeillo solar furnaces in southern France. Space solar power, according to the ideas of Gerard O’Neill, is mentioned about 14:40.

The remainder of the film is devoted to small–scale solar energy projects, some of which are probably worthwhile, but which are promoted (and idealized) by people who seem to believe sincerely that world peace and social justice can only be realized if every household is responsible for its own energy. This is, of course, entirely the opposite of the specialization, resource–sharing, and economies of scale upon which the rise of civilization has been based, and arguably of the whole social model of human existence. A strange ideal of democracy, this, in which the benefits of using energy are available only to the wealthy.

Overall, the presentation is distinctly negative, even threatening in tone. Clips of nuclear explosions are even introduced for no particular reason. The film is also in poor physical shape, with several bad splices, repairs, and other damage, in addition to the usual scratches and fading (which varies from sequence to sequence).

The cost of the film–to–video transfer was about US$216 (not including what I paid for the film itself, shipping to and from the transfer house, and so on).

Fessenheim : An 1

Extract from a French newsreel. We see Fessenheim, the first of the PWR stations built under the Messmer Plan, in response to the oil shocks of the early 1970s. We hear from station manager Paul Rousset, who describes progress in power–raising, and from an uncredited technician, who describes the operation of the station in a general way. There are interesting interior shots, and some electronic music to accompany them.

France, having largely exploited its hydroelectric capacity, and without much domestic coal, was relying more and more on imported fossil fuels (chiefly heavy fuel oil) for electricity supply as well as other industrial and domestic purposes. Nuclear energy was embraced as a way to reduce both economic and political vulnerability to supply disruptions ― a timely idea today! As the narration tells us, the two 900 MW units of the station (sadly, now closed, owing to political pressure from neighbouring Germany) were to produce about 2 billion kilowatt–hours a year, saving thereby import of 3 million tonnes of oil. A side–effect was decarbonization : French CO₂ emissions, per head of population or dollar of GDP, are about half the average for the OECD group of wealthy countries.

According to the narration, this film was produced sometime between April 1977, when Fessenheim 1 went into operation, and October of the same year, when Unit 2 came on the line.

The cost of this film–to–video transfer (not counting the price I paid for the film itself, or shipping costs) was about US$72.

Thematically, this film constructs the controversy over nuclear energy as one pitting “ordinary people” and “scientists” against government and big business. The emotional tone is established right at the beginning, when a resident near San Onofre describes herself as considered expendable by the government.

Considerable attention is given to the controversy over Emergency Core Cooling Systems, and the remote possibility that a failure of the ECCS, taking place at the same time as a major pipe break, might cause a melt–out accident or so–called “China syndrome”, in which molten fuel in large quantities would escape from the reactor vessel. Not long afterward, a series of special experiments proved that the worst case scenarios could not happen. Likewise, incredible statements about the hazards of plutonium are allowed to pass for fact. If, as stated, one pound of plutonium represents the potential for nine billion human lung cancers (a figure which appears to have originated with Amory Lovins, who is not an oncologist), what of the tonnes of this material ejected into the atmosphere by the explosion of nuclear weapons?

Edward Teller appears at about 6:25, advocating for construction of nuclear power plants underground.

The original film is quite faded, so the colour values are somewhat distorted. Were men’s clothes in the 1970s really that ugly?

Produced by Churchill Films.

The cost of the film–to–video transfer was US$238 (not including what I paid for the film itself, shipping to and from the transfer house, and so on).

“Fuel for the Future” (16 mm, 1961)

This animated film ― listed by the British Film Institute ― is not to be confused with a 1965 episode of the BBC Horizon science program which goes under the same title.

The main emphasis is on thermonuclear fusion, and considerable effort is given to explaining the concepts of isotopes and binding energy. Fission power is covered in the latter part of the film. No account, however, is given of the differing roles of the 235 and 238 isotopes of uranium, nor of plutonium or breeding.

The program is presented by Mullard Limited, prominent British manufacturers of radio valves (vacuum tubes). The opening Mullard title card, however, appears to have been substituted at the last minute for one reading “Philips Educational Service”. NV Philips Gloelampenfabriken, of course, was itself a major producer of vacuum tubes, as well as other electrical apparatus.

The cost of the film–to–video transfer was US$342.10 (not including what I paid for the film itself).

U comme Uranium, 1ère Partie, De la Mine à la Centrale.

Concentrates on light–water reactors, indicative of the shift of strategy at EdF away from the UNGG type (which never performed as well as the similar British MAGNOX plants). The Franco–Belgian PWR at Tihange is shown.

Emphasizes that conventional and nuclear fuels differ in the degree of preparation required before use. Coal is burned essentially in the form it comes out of the ground, oil may be subjected to a simple refining process, but uranium must pass through a complex series of stages before being loaded into the reactor. Mining, milling, refining, fluorination, enrichment, and fabrication of fuel assemblies are covered.

Various facilities are shown, including quite extensive coverage of the French commercial gaseous diffusion enrichment plant, EURODIF, under construction. Extensive animations illustrate the function of an enrichment cascade.

Produced by Les Films Saturn for the Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique and Electricité de France.

The cost of this film–to–video transfer (not counting the price I paid for the film itself) was US$217.

L’Effort Atomique Française

Extensive coverage of the nuclear research center at Saclay, the plutonium production plant at Marcoule, and uranium production activities. Brief views of the research centers at Fontenay–aux–Roses, Cadarache, and Grenoble ; the power stations under construction at Chinon ; and the uranium enrichment plant under construction at Pierrelatte.

The first part of this film, including the main title, is missing. Fortuitously, I located a sale listing for the French–language version, which gave enough detail to make me confident they were the same. The full running time is given as 16 minutes.

Produced by Régie Française de Cinéma, directed by Martin-Pierre Hubrecht, music by Jean-Jacques Grunenwald.

The cost of this film–to–video transfer (not counting the price I paid for the film itself) was US$143.

Subtitled “A status report on Man’s efforts to achieve a controlled thermonuclear reaction”. Discusses the efforts of General Atomic and the Texas Atomic Energy Research Foundation. Captions have been added to point out various persons ranging from Nobel laureates to UT students.

This is not one of my film transfers. I found it on an out-of-the-way Web page devoted to the fusion work at UT, and thought it needed more exposure.

In 2016, William "Bill" Muston, Manager of R&D for Oncor, a regulated electric transmission and distribution service provider, had in his possession two reels of 16 mm film version of the "Reaching for the Stars" films. Bill had previously work for TAERF. He contacted Mel Oakes and asked if there could be some use for them. He brought the reels to Austin and the two decided that Mel would try to get them digitized and evaluate them for possible inclusion on the Physics Department History web site. Mel contacted Christina Bryant, Administrative Coordinator for the Texas Archive of the Moving Image organization. They kindly agreed to digitize the film at no cost and provide two dvds.