France sees potential for 14 new nuclear reactors

If France is to achieve its energy transition target and reduce its dependence on fossil fuels from 60% to 40% by 2035, 14 new nuclear reactors will probably be needed. Six of them are currently in the planning process. French Energy Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher told Reuters.

In 2022, President Emmanuel Macron put nuclear energy at the heart of his country’s efforts to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, announcing the construction of six new European pressurized-water reactors and a study for eight more.

The new energy strategy must be enshrined in law, and parliament is due to begin debating it at the end of January.

In 2022, operational problems brought output from French nuclear power plants to a 30-year low. This added further pressure on European energy prices, which had already been affected by reduced gas flows from Russia.

During 2023, plant availability improved significantly, reaching the state-owned energy company EDF’s target of 300–330 TWh. EDF plans to build new power plants using tens of billions in public funding. The company’s CEO, Luc Rémont, announced that EDF intends to build around one 1.6 GW reactor per year.

President Macron decided to extend the operating life of some existing nuclear power plants from 40 years to more than 50 years and to change the earlier commitment to shut down a certain number of reactors by 2035. This marks a major shift in the country’s energy policy.

The French president also strengthened his country’s commitment to nuclear energy at the recent COP28 climate summit in Dubai, where he led a group of 20 world leaders who signed a pledge to triple installed nuclear capacity by 2050, compared with 2020 levels.

Macron has also promised that the country will rapidly develop solar and offshore wind power plants. This raises hopes of creating a sustainable and greener energy system in the country.