What happens this year? (2026, 2025, 2024, 2023, … France takes nuclear reactors offline amid record heatwave | Euronews)
Posted by jpluimers on 2026/07/30
Last year, again at least France had to shut down multiple nuclear power reactors.
A very to the point comment was made: [Wayback/Archive] André Vatter | @avatter: “”Grundlastkraftwerke” 🤣…” – Mastodon (German Grundlastkraftwerk is base load power plant in English):
He quoted [Wayback/Archive] Frankreich schaltet Atomreaktoren wegen Hitze ab | Euronews which has an English version too at [Wayback/Archive] France takes nuclear reactors offline amid record heatwave | Euronews:
During heatwaves, as rivers warm naturally, operators must cut or reduce output to stay within legally mandated discharge temperature limits.
An English article has a more precise description at [Wayback/Archive] Nuclear reactors taken offline in France, as extreme heat pushes river temperatures into danger zone . At the time of writing, they mention about 10% of the French nuclear power capacity – by many regarded as “base load power plants” – had been completely shut down or greatly reduced in capacity.
In 2025, the same happened but not only in France: the Swiss also had to shut down: [Wayback/Archive] Nuclear power plants shut down in France and Switzerland as heatwave impacts river cooling – The Watchers
Same in 2024: [Wayback/Archive] EDF cuts nuclear production in reaction to soaring temperatures | Euronews
And in 2023, besides high cooling water temperatures ([Wayback/Archive] France’s nuclear power stations to limit energy output due to high river temperatures | Euronews), they also had to reduce capacity, but now for maintenance reasons: [Wayback/Archive] France / EDF Cuts Nuclear Output Forecast For 2023, Citing ‘Busy Programme Of Work’ On Reactor Fleet
I wonder what happens this year.
--jeroen
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