Part 12/17:
In small French villages, bakers like Julian Pedicell are witnessing firsthand the impacts of energy shortages. With skyrocketing bills, they work under minimal lighting, sometimes forgoing energy-consuming appliances altogether. The government has sought to stabilize nuclear operations by nationalizing EDF, the state-owned nuclear firm, aiming to expedite repairs and build new reactors. The slower reopening of nuclear plants has underscored France’s dilemma: balancing nuclear’s promise as a reliable energy source with the challenges of aging infrastructure and new safety standards.