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| Fig. 1: France's annual total nuclear production, measured in joules. (Image Source: R. Nemawarkar, after Schneider and Froggatt. [6]) |
France is one of the largest producers of nuclear energy in the world, second to only the United States and the largest of the European Union. [1] Their nuclear fleet began its rapid expansion in 1974, when the French government started aggressively developing their nuclear program; as of 2013, it produced almost 80% of the country's electricity. [2] However, in 2022, France faced a sharp decrease in nuclear energy production and total electricity generation due to problems with nuclear power plants, becoming a net importer of electricity for the first time in decades. [3]
France's aging nuclear fleet has been undergoing maintenance since 2014, which created the conditions for negative impacts on its output. [3] The situation worsened in 2020 and 2021 due to corrosion issues that required extended maintenance and the shutdown of 12 reactors, collectively responsible for producing 15 GW of energy. [3] These challenges continued to impact nuclear production into 2022, compounded by the unplanned shutdown of 26 out of 56 reactors in November 2022, driven by heat waves and drought conditions. [3] Total nuclear production in 2022 decreased to 1 × 1018 J from 1.3 × 1018 J in 2021, as shown in Fig. 1. Nuclear production increased in 2023 to 1.15 × 1018 J due to efficient stress corrosion repairs, with 46 reactors back online by the beginning of January 2024. [4]
During 2023, 15 out of the 16 reactors most susceptible to stress corrosion were successfully repaired, resulting in projected outputs of 1.13 × 1018 -1.24 × 1018 J in 2024 and 1.2 × 1018 - 1.3 × 1018 J in 2025 and 2026. [4] Furthermore, President Emmanuel Macron announced plans to construct six new nuclear reactors, which will be improved versions of the European Pressurized Reactors (EPRs). [5] Additional considerations include building up to 14 new-generation reactors and several small modular reactors. [5]
France's nuclear energy sector has faced significant challenges in recent years, including aging infrastructure, corrosion issues, and climate-related disruptions, which led to a decline in nuclear production in 2022. In response, substantial repairs were completed in 2023, with projections indicating a recovery in output for 2024 and beyond. The government has announced plans to expand nuclear capacity by constructing new reactors, including improved European Pressurized Reactors (EPRs), and exploring the potential for small modular reactors. These developments highlight ongoing efforts to address the challenges in Frances nuclear energy production and maintain its role as a major energy producer.
© Ruhee Nemawaaarkar. The author warrants that the work is the author's own and that Stanford University provided no input other than typesetting and referencing guidelines. The author grants permission to copy, distribute and display this work in unaltered form, with attribution to the author, for noncommercial purposes only. All other rights, including commercial rights, are reserved to the author.
[1] "Country Analysis Brief: France," U.S. Energy Information Administration, October 2023.
[2] "Nuclear Power in France," French Embassy in Washington, July 2013.
[3] "Electricity Market Report 2023," International Energy Agency, February 2023.
[4] M. Orru, "France's EDF Swings to Profit After Nationalization," Wall Street Journal, 16 Feb 24.
[5] L. Alderman, "France Announces Major Nuclear Power Buildup," New York Times, 11 Feb 22.
[6] M. Schneider and A. Froggatt, "The World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2023," Mycle Schneider Consulting, December 2023.