In the early morning hours of April 26th, 1986, Chernobyl reactor number four experienced a series of explosions that resulted in the world’s most devastating nuclear disaster to date.
The Radiance of France: Nuclear Power and National Identity after World War II by Gabrielle Hecht (1998)
The hourglass-shaped towers of the Chinon nuclear plant look out of place so near the Loire Valley’s famous castles. Regardless, nuclear energy generated almost 80 percent of all electricity in France last year, more than any other country, and a sizable surplus for export, too.