Heatwave Forces France to Slash Nuclear Output by 6.4 Gigawatts

The grid operator RTE and plant manager EDF confirmed that eight reactors are currently affected by the cooling restrictions. The Saint Alban 1 and 2, Blayais 1 and 3, and Bugey 4 and 5 units are running at reduced capacity, while the Bugey 3 and Golfech 2 reactors have been taken entirely offline. This operational strain arrives as France faces a broader climate crisis, with red alerts active across the country and temperatures consistently topping 40 degrees Celsius.

Despite these cuts, France maintains its position as a net electricity exporter, with over 10 gigawatts flowing to neighboring countries on Monday. Nuclear power typically accounts for 70 percent of the French energy mix, but the current environmental pressure highlights the vulnerability of thermal power plants to prolonged heat. Beyond nuclear capacity, the sustained drought and high river temperatures are also creating secondary concerns for the nation's hydropower output as the heatwave enters its second week.