Several EDF nuclear reactors have been forced to lower their production due to the high temperatures of the rivers used for their cooling, the company said on Friday.
"
The current exceptional climatic conditions result in a rise in the temperature of the Garonne which has reached 28 degrees
", indicates EDF.
"
At the request of the national electricity network operator (RTE), production unit no. 2 of the Golfech power plant remains in production (minimum power)
", continues the electricity producer.
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This minimum power corresponds to approximately 300 MW, against 1300 MW normally.
The second reactor of the plant located in Tarn-et-Garonne is for its part in scheduled shutdown.
Each plant has its own regulatory water discharge temperature limits that must not be exceeded, so as not to heat up the surrounding waterways and to protect the fauna and flora.
The power plants indeed pump water to cool the reactors, before rejecting it.
The decrees setting the discharge limits also provide for higher thresholds "
in exceptional climatic conditions
", as is currently the case in Golfech.
In addition, temporary derogations can further raise the thresholds, which has been granted to four nuclear power plants, including that of Bugey (Ain), while France is going through a new heatwave episode.
"
The exceptional climatic conditions that we have been experiencing for a few days have resulted in a rise in the temperature of the Rhône, which has reached more than 25 degrees
", notes EDF in a separate point on the Bugey power station.
Drops coming earlier in the year
"
Production units 2 and 5 have been maintained on the network in compliance with the provisions relating to exceptional climatic situations
", indicates the group.
These two reactors “
had to perform load reductions
”, in other words reduce their power, an EDF spokeswoman told AFP.
The other two reactors of the plant are shut down for scheduled maintenance.
EDF had warned that it could be forced to lower its nuclear production in the coming days and even shut down a reactor at the Tricastin plant (Drôme) due to high river temperatures.
Drops in production for these reasons occur regularly in the summer period, although this year they occurred much earlier than usual - as early as May.
EDF puts the scope of these events into perspective, emphasizing that since 2000, production losses have represented an average of 0.3% of the fleet's annual production.
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