Nuclear production threatened by drought

by time news

EDF has obtained exemptions to be able to run its reactors on the banks of the river, due to the very tense energy context.

Heat waves and drought not only empty the water tables and martyr the flora. They are also undermining EDF’s nuclear production. Due to the decrease in flow and the increase in temperature of the rivers, the discharges of cooling water from the reactors threaten to heat them downstream beyond the regulatory limits. Five power plants have had to request exemptions in recent days to be able to continue to operate. Namely Golfech on the Garonne, Blayais on the Gironde, as well as Saint-Alban, Tricastin and Bugey on the Rhône.

On Thursday, the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) decided to extend the derogatory operating authorizations from August 7 to September 11. The request for Tricastin should also be validated very soon by the Ministry of Energy Transition. These plants should therefore continue to operate normally in the coming weeks, unless temperatures reach such levels that it is necessary to reduce their…

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