France Advances Nuclear Power Expansion

Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas)

Summary

The French government has granted permission to state-owned energy company EDF to start work on preparing the site for a new nuclear power plant in Gravelines.

Expanding Sector

France is expanding its nuclear power fleet by giving state-owned energy major EDF permission to prepare a site for a second pair of European Pressurised Reactors 2 (EPR2s). The site is located at Gravelines, currently home to six reactors, each with a capacity of 910 megawatts (MW). The move forms part of a nuclear renaissance promised in 2022 by President Emmanuel Macron with the goal of rolling out six new EPR2 reactors. According to Industrial Info Resources data there are https://iir.link/vn48bi" target="_blank">146 capital and maintenance projects in France's nuclear-power sector, totaling more than US$188 billion in investment.

The Permit

A government decree reads "the beneficiary is authorized to implement operations related to the construction of a pair of EPR2-type nuclear power plants near the Gravelines nuclear site in the North, which...may be implemented from the date of issuance of the environmental permit, subject to the provisions set out below." The proposed project at Gravelines is to add units 7 and 8, each with a generating capacity of 1,650 MW and a price tag of almost US$21 billion. A statement from EDF to media stated that the decree "allows EDF to gradually launch the first operations aimed at preparing the site for the future construction project. It added: "It does not constitute authorisation to create the two EPR2 reactors and does not permit the construction of buildings intended to house nuclear materials or equipment needed for nuclear safety."

EDF will build the reactors in pairs at Penly, Gravelines and Bugey, all home to existing nuclear power plants. Penly will be first, where site preparation work has been underway since 2024 and construction is expected to kick off in 2027. France is Europe's largest nuclear nation with 57 reactors supplying around 70% of its power. 

Rising Costs

Earlier this year, EDF raised the estimated investment required to build the six new nuclear reactors using its EPR2 technology to 72.8 billion euro (US$84.4 billion), citing higher construction costs and revised project assumptions since the program was first announced in 2022. This is a significant jump from the earlier projection of 51.7 billion euro (US$60 billion). They will add almost 10 gigawatts to the country's generation capacity. For additional information, see January 20, 2026, article - EDF-France Raises Nuclear Investment Estimate. Despite the increased costs, head of the EPR2 projects at EDF, Xavier Cruz, told journalists that they will still cost less than the problem-stricken Flamanville 3 project, which also boasts an EPR. The project reached full power last December for the first time, coming 12 years late and with costs that spiralled from the original 3.3 billion euro (US$3.9 billion) to nearly 23.7 billion euro (US$27.8 billion). Gruz said: "The gains we will have thanks to replication are significant," referring to the fact that the construction time for the sixth EPR at Bugey is expected to be three years faster than the first EPR2 planned for Penly. He expects that electricity demand will be high by the time new reactors are coming online thanks to the rapid growth of data centers.  

Heatwaves and Jellyfish

The European-wide heatwaves this summer have played havoc with nuclear power in a number of countries, with France one of the hardest hit. Extreme temperatures have warmed rivers used for reactor cooling, while drought has reduced flows, forcing EDF to take Bugey Unit 3, Chooz Unit 2 and Golfech Unit 2 offline temporarily. Eight other reactors were forced to operate at reduced power. On top of that, a swarm of jellyfish disrupted nuclear generation at the Gravelines plant again after entering the facility's cooling-water system. For additional information, see August 13, 2026, article - Jellyfish, Heat and Drought Sting European Power Generation.

Key Takeaways

• Permit for site preparation awarded for EDF nuclear power project at Gravelines.
• France is planning six new reactors using European Pressurised Reactor 2 (EPR2) technology.
• Industrial Info Resources is tracking https://iir.link/vn48bi" target="_blank">146 capital and maintenance projects in France's nuclear-power sector, totaling more than $188 billion in investment.

About Industrial Info Resources
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, Industrial Info Resources is tracking over 250,000 current and future projects worth $30.2 Trillion (USD).