A prospective Study ''Bluebook'' on Nuclear Energy to Support Low Carbon

For the first time in history, the nuclear power industries of China and France have come together to jointly write a book highlighting the benefits of nuclear energy in terms of the fight against climate change, as well as in terms of economic advantages and the security of supply. Above all, the creation of this book has been an exceptional adventure. Not only have the two nations' editorial teams got to know each other through the process of working together, they have also become acquainted with dozens of technical experts with expertise in various areas of nuclear energy. This Bluebook would never have come to fruition without their hard work, dedication, and involvement. Despite many challenges posed by our different cultures, geographical distance and the intricate task of translating among Chinese, English and French, we are now very pleased to be able to announce the on-schedule publication of this Bluebook. Two on-site missions – one to France and the other to China – enabled the teams to meet each other, to visit both French and Chinese industrial sites together, and to forge strong links that helped to resolve many of the challenges inherent in a project of this magnitude. In order to stick to the ambitious timetable that we had set ourselves, and as this is the first exercise of its kind, EDF and China Institute of Nuclear Industry Strategy (CINIS) have decided to share responsibility for writing the book's sub-chapters with this allocation of duties being explicitly outlined in the report. Of particular note, each section detailing "Chinese practice" was written and validated by CINIS and each section detailing "French practice" was written and validated by EDF. Nevertheless, we considered it essential to write at least a few sections together. There was complete agreement on the structure of the report and its reading grid, and – most significantly – the jointly and unanimously written Executive Summary demonstrates a remarkable alignment in the delivery of our key messages. Having met these challenges together, we are delighted with this achievement. With a shared approach based on commitment, transparency and friendship, this mutual involvement in writing the CINIS & EDF Bluebook lays the foundations for future cooperation in various areas of nuclear energy. Finally, during the compilation of this Bluebook, we have received tremendous support and valuable insights from experts and scholars from many Chinese and French government departments, nuclear-related enterprises, universities, and research institutes, without whom this would have been impossible, and we would like to express our sincere gratitude for their contributions.