Nuclear power in France

The article's lead section may need to be rewritten. Please help improve the lead and read the lead layout guide. (May 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Belleville

Blayais

Brennilis

Bugey

Cattenom

Chinon

Chooz

Civaux

Cruas

Dampierre

Fessenheim

Flamanville

Golfech

Gravelines

Marcoule/Phénix

Nogent

Paluel

Penly

Saint-Alban

Saint- Laurent

Superphénix

Tricastin

class=notpageimage|

Fission-electric stations in France (view)
 Active plants
 under construction
 Closed plants

Since the mid 1980s, the largest source of electricity in France has been nuclear power, with a generation of 379.5 TWh in 2019 and a total electricity production of 537.7 TWh.^[1] In 2018, the nuclear share was 71.67%,^[2] the highest percentage in the world.^[3]

Since June 2020, it has 56 operable reactors totalling 61,370 MWe, one under construction (1630 MWe), and 14 shut down or in decommissioning (5,549 MWe). In May 2022, EDF reported^[4] that twelve reactors were shut down and being inspected for stress corrosion, requiring EDF to adjust its French nuclear output estimate for 2022 to 280–300 TWh; the estimate of the impact of the decrease in output on the Group's EBITDA for 2022 was assessed to be -€18,5 billion.

Électricité de France (EDF) – the country's main electricity generation and distribution company – manages the country's 56 power reactors.^[5] EDF is fully owned by the French Government.

Nuclear power was introduced in large quantities in France following the 1973 oil crisis according to the Messmer plan named for then prime minister Pierre Messmer. This was based on projections that large amounts of electric power would be required. Hindsight showed that too much nuclear power capacity was installed, and this led to relatively low production – a low average load factor of 61% by 1988 due to load following generation, and high electricity exports.^[6] France exported 38 TWh of electricity to its neighbours in 2017.^[7] However, the country still becomes a net importer of electricity when demand exceeds supply, such as in cases of very inclement weather, as in February 2012 when "Germany powers France in cold despite nuclear u-turn" as "France heavily relies on electric heating", which "means that during cold snaps, French electricity demand goes through the roof, forcing the country to import".^[8][9]

As of December 2023, according to data from Ember and the Energy Institute as processed by Our World in Data, France generates roughly two-thirds of its electricity from nuclear power, well above the global average of just under 10%. This heavy reliance on nuclear energy allows France to have one of the lowest carbon dioxide emissions per unit of electricity in the world at 85 grams of CO2 per kilowatt-hour, compared to the global average of 438 grams.^[10]