Isn't it France that lowered their reliance on foreign oil to a very small amount by increasing their nuclear energy?

Yup...

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/reaction/readings/french.html

Unlike our country, the French don't have as many idiots running around scaring people about nuclear energy. (Sure is funny how I love our country so much, and yet some of the biggest imbeciles on the planet live here).

Most of their citizens accept nuclear energy. Yes, after the oil crisis, they built a ton of power plants, and now they're a major producer of power based on nuclear energy. Even some of their biggest environmentalists are in favor of it.

In 1979, I lived about 25 miles from Three Mile Island. Ironically, about a week before the accident, our science teacher was covering radioactivity, nuclear energy, etc. When we got back (we were off for almost a week), he talked to us about containment buildings, what a meltdown was, etc. I think he got his name in the local paper for his work in teaching kids about TMI.

When managed correctly, nothing beats it. Just remember - 1 nuclear power plant saves gas for 500,000 cars. :)