French President Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed his commitment on Wednesday to constructing eight new nuclear reactors, in addition to the six EPR2 reactors already confirmed.
During a press conference following the National Rally’s gains in the European elections and the surprise dissolution of the National Assembly, Macron declared that the government’s program must include “strong decisions, such as eight new nuclear reactors essential” for the country’s energy transition away from fossil fuels.
Previous Announcements and Recent Caution
On February 10, 2022, even before the war in Ukraine, Macron announced an ambitious nuclear revival policy.
This policy included extending the lifespan of existing reactors and building six new-generation EPR2 reactors, with the first two operational by 2035-2037. Studies launched to assess the feasibility of eight additional reactors.
However, the government recently expressed caution regarding these eight additional reactors.
On June 5, Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire highlighted the “gigantic scale” of the project to build six new EPRs, acknowledging the challenges faced by the nuclear industry, which has “lost many skills and must now rebuild itself.”
Le Maire emphasized the need for reconstruction in both civil engineering and technological aspects, stating that six EPR2 reactors seemed like a “reasonable amount of absorption” for the industry. He added that the option of eight new EPR2 reactors would be considered if EDF could prove its ability to complete the first six on time and within budget.
Key Milestones and Future Plans
The nuclear revival program reached a significant milestone with the government’s approval for EDF to begin preparatory work on the two EPR2 reactors planned for the Penly nuclear power plant in Seine-Maritime, starting in 2035.
The outgoing government also plans to build two EPR2 reactors in Gravelines and two more at the Bugey power plant. The locations for the eight additional reactors remain undecided.
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