EDF adjusts, to avoid burning the surrounding fauna and flora.
This Tuesday, the electricity supplier said it had very slightly lowered production at one of the nuclear reactors at its Blayais power plant (Gironde) due to the heat wave, an unusual measure in the spring, we were told. learned from the business.
The power of one of the four 900 MW reactors was reduced by 100 MW "for a few hours" in the afternoon of Monday May 9, a company spokeswoman told AFP.
This in order to "respect the regulatory limits" concerning the temperature of the waterways.
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The Blayais plant is on the banks of the Garonne.
Nuclear reactors pump water into rivers or seas to cool them, and discharge heated water, discharges subject to temperature limits to preserve aquatic fauna and flora.
EDF had warned earlier this week that the measure, unusual for the season, could be taken due to the heat.
More than 8 degrees above normal for the season are recorded this week in France due to the early formation of a heat dome.
A low impact, but the witness of early heat
“Due to forecasts of high temperatures on the Garonne, weak production restrictions are likely to affect the Blayais nuclear production site from Monday May 9, 2022 until Sunday May 15, 2022”, warned the electricity producer. in a message on its market-facing site.
EDF sometimes reduces the power of its reactors - or even shuts them down - to preserve the temperature of the waterways.
However, these measures are usually taken during summer heat waves.
EDF's message was taken up by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who advocates an exit from nuclear power.
“Problem: it’s already too hot.
The Blayais plant will therefore have to slow down.
Not intermittent nuclear power?
“, wrote on Twitter the candidate of insubordinate France, in reference to the criticisms against wind and solar energies, which are intermittent because dependent on the wind and the sun.
EDF has however put the scope of these problems into perspective.
In France, production losses due to high river temperatures have represented 0.3% of annual nuclear production since 2000, according to the group.
