France's main energy provider EDF announced on Sunday that three nuclear reactors have been temporarily shut down and eight others are operating at reduced power due to the ongoing heatwave sweeping the country. The reactors at the Golfech, Bugey, and Chooz plants, located on the banks of the Garonne, Rhone, and Meuse rivers respectively, were taken offline to comply with regulations on cooling water discharges and to protect the environment.
Environmental Protection Measures
EDF explained that the measure is an environmental protection requirement to avoid discharging too much hot water into rivers already warming from the heatwave. Power plants critical to France's electricity production use river water to cool their reactors, which heats the water that is then released back into the river. By shutting down or reducing power, EDF aims to limit thermal pollution.
The economy ministry on Saturday issued an exemption to the temperature limits for the heating of the Rhone around the Bugey plant to ensure the security of the power grid, valid until July 20. This allows the plant to operate under relaxed constraints temporarily.
Second Heat-Related Shutdown in Weeks
This is the second time in recent weeks that EDF has had to stop nuclear reactors due to extreme heat, following a record-breaking heatwave in June. On Sunday, the third heatwave since May placed more than a third of France under the national weather service's highest heat alert. Over 25 million people experienced temperatures that forecasters said could reach up to 41°C, according to an AFP tally based on population data.
Widespread Impact of Heatwave
The heatwave has forced tourist hotspots to close early, led to event cancellations, and shortened a stage of the Tour de France. Wildfires have proliferated, and deaths by drowning have spiked amid the heat. Since the end of May, France has been hit hard by repeated episodes of intense heat, which have caused excess mortality and exposed problems with infrastructure maladapted to extreme weather, the increasing frequency of which scientists have linked to man-made climate change.
