The French government’s plan to reduce the share of nuclear power in electricity production to 50% has been thwarted. Despite a pledge by François Hollande during his 2012 campaign to achieve this goal, the current President has shifted direction. Rather than intentionally reducing the share of electricity produced by nuclear plants, which was 64.8% in 2023, the government now plans to build six new reactors known as EPR 2.
The new models will be a simplified version of the existing Flamanville EPR, with pairs planned for construction in Penly and Gravelines in the next decade. However, financing for these projects remains a challenge. Initial cost estimates for the program were €51.7 billion in 2021 but have since been revised upwards to €67.4 billion due to inflation and material costs.
Despite these obstacles, the President is still determined to pursue his ambitions and plans to launch another program for the construction of eight additional EPR 2 reactors in the long term. However, resolving issues related to waste disposal and dismantling of older power plants will be crucial for this future program’s success. The French government remains committed to advancing its nuclear energy agenda despite these challenges.
Emmanuel Macron’s predecessor had set out to reduce the share of nuclear power in electricity production to 50%. While François Hollande made this promise during his presidential campaign, he did not succeed despite two terms and shutting down one power plant in 2020.
The current President has shifted course from reducing nuclear power’s share in electricity production, which stood at 64.8% in 2023, instead opting for building six new reactors known as EPR 2.
These reactors are a simplified version of an existing model called Flamanville EPR, with pairs planned for construction in Penly by 2035 and Gravelines and Bugey by the end of the next decade.
However, financing these projects is still a significant challenge, with initial cost estimates increasing from €51.7 billion ($61 million) in 2021 to €67.4 billion ($83 million) due to factors such as inflation and material costs.
Despite these obstacles, Emmanuel Macron remains determined to continue pursuing his ambitions of expanding France’s nuclear energy agenda.
François Hollande had promised during his presidential campaign that he would reduce France’s reliance on nuclear power by reducing its share in electricity production from more than half (59%) down to just over half (50%) within five years.
However, despite promising reduction targets being missed twice over two terms under Hollande’s leadership — including closing down one plant called Fessenheim-1 — Macron has changed direction from reducing reliance on nuclear energy altogether towards building new reactors.
Macron has announced plans for four new reactors known as EPR-D at Flamanville site located near Normandy region with an estimated cost of €9 billion ($11 billion), while three more are planned at Creusot site located near Burgundy region with an estimated cost of €7 billion ($8