Where are France’s nuclear power plants - and how many are out of action due to drought or heatwaves?
High temperatures and low water levels can force reactors to reduce output or shut down
Published
France has many power stations spread across the country providing it with electricity but hot weather and droughts can affect some plants as they need large quantities of water for cooling.
In total France has 57 reactors at 19 sites, but as of August 19, only 39 of these were operating. Of those in operation, 11 were working at reduced power.
A further 18 reactors were completely stopped. However, most of these outages were planned maintenance or refuelling and not directly connected to the heatwave or drought.
Where are France’s nuclear plants?
France's nuclear plants are spread across the country:
Hauts-de-France: Gravelines
Normandy: Flamanville, Paluel and Penly
Grand Est: Chooz, Cattenom and Nogent-sur-Seine
Centre-Val de Loire: Belleville-sur-Loire, Dampierre, Chinon and Saint-Laurent-des-Eaux
Nouvelle-Aquitaine: Blayais and Civaux
Occitanie: Golfech
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes: Bugey, Saint-Alban, Cruas-Meysse and Tricastin
Many of the plants are beside rivers because water is needed to cool the reactors and their associated systems.
How does heat affect a nuclear plant?
During a heatwave, river water can become too warm. Nuclear plants use river water for cooling and discharge warmer water back into the river. If the river reaches its environmental temperature limit, EDF may have to reduce a reactor’s output or temporarily stop it to avoid further heating the water and harming aquatic life.
Drought can make this worse. Lower river levels mean less water to absorb and dilute the heat discharged by the plant, increasing the risk of environmental restrictions.
EDF has confirmed weather-related production reductions this summer at plants including Bugey, Tricastin and Golfech.
At Bugey and Tricastin, reactors have been temporarily stopped or operated at reduced power because of high water temperatures. At Golfech, a reactor was also temporarily stopped when the Garonne was expected to reach its regulatory temperature limit.
It is important to note that these measures are environmental precautions, not an indication that the reactors are unsafe.
