In France, several nuclear reactors are operating at reduced capacity due to extreme heat. French environmental laws require the national electric utility company Électricité de France to lower nuclear reactor output if the water temperature in rivers, where cooling water is discharged, becomes too high.
According to the news agency Reuters, citing data from Électricité de France, the production of French nuclear reactors has decreased by 4.1 gigawatts. This reduction represents 7 percent of the total electricity demand around noon.
Impact on the Energy System and Prices
These restrictions are contributing to a significant rise in electricity prices in the country, where demand is high due to the use of air conditioners to cope with the heat.
Restrictions on the Operation of Individual Reactors
The Golfech 2 reactor, located on the Garonne River in southwestern France, was shut down late Monday due to the heat. A reactor on the Seine, southwest of Paris, is operating under restrictions. The same applies to two reactors near Lyon, both situated along the Rhône.
Source: de Volkskrant