Heatwave Forces Six EDF Nuclear Reactors Offline in France

Six of EDF's nuclear reactors were offline on Thursday, August 13, as a heatwave continued to strain France's nuclear fleet, pushing unavailability close to 20%. The heatwaves sweeping the country are far from done disrupting French nuclear output. With 80 departments under an orange heat alert on Thursday, two units at Chooz (Ardennes) were shut down, along with one each at Cattenom (Moselle), Golfech (Tarn-et-Garonne), Bugey (Ain), and Saint-Alban (Isère).

Two additional reactors at Tricastin (Drôme) were forced to reduce their output, according to EDF. Heatwaves and droughts pose a major challenge for the energy company, whose 57 reactors across France sit along rivers or the coast and must be cooled continuously. When temperatures rise, higher water temperatures and lower river flows can force EDF to halt or adjust output to comply with regulations. The group stressed the shutdowns are not due to any safety risk, but rather to protect the environment and biodiversity by avoiding discharges of hot water.