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The planned construction of the next generation of nuclear reactors in France, which expects to have at least six of these, faces numerous challenges including in financing, supply chains, and timelines, France’s Court of Auditors said in a report on Tuesday.
France’s power utility and major nuclear power generator, EDF, has planned to build six new nuclear reactors of the so-called European pressurized reactors (EPR) type. This is part of a pledge from 2022 from French President Emmanuel Macron, who promised new advanced nuclear reactors to meet France’s climate goals and rejuvenate the nuclear fleet.
Since the energy crisis in 2022, France has focused on its nuclear fleet, which provides around 70% of its electricity and which typically allows one of Europe’s biggest economies to export electricity to its European neighbors and partners.
Early in 2024, France’s Ministry of Energy Transition introduced a bill on energy sovereignty, which highlighted the importance the country will attach to nuclear power generation in the future.
The bill included targets for the construction of at least six and up to 14 new reactors, as France will be heavily relying on nuclear to meet its net-zero and emission reduction goals.
The French Court of Auditors said in the analysis published today that “even if the French nuclear industry had started to implement the strategy set out in 2022, it is far from ready and must overcome numerous challenges, some of which raise concerns.”
The nuclear power industry faces too high additional costs and too many delays and uncertainties, the Court of Auditors noted, adding that these challenges require responses from the authorities and the sector.
Last year, reports emerged that EDF raised the cost estimate of the six new reactors by 30% to $69 billion (67.4 billion euros).
The Court of Auditors recommends that the final investment decision for EDF’s EPR2 program be postponed until financing has been secured and design studies have progressed.
EDF currently plans to take the final investment decision on the plan in 2026.
