Nuclear energy in France: history and prospects

France is one of the world’s leading producers and consumers of nuclear power. The country draws its electricity from a variety of sources, including fossil fuels, nuclear power and renewable energies. In 2020, the breakdown of electricity production was as follows: 70.6% nuclear power, 18.3% renewables (hydro, wind, solar and others) and 10.1% fossil fuels [1]. This article focuses on nuclear power generation in France, presenting its history, the reactor technologies used and the innovative power plant and reactor projects currently under development.

The innovative power plant and reactor projects under development, such as EPRs, RMAs and RNRs, demonstrate France’s commitment to innovation in the nuclear sector. These promising technologies could play a crucial role in diversifying France’s energy mix and reducing the country’s carbon footprint.

History of nuclear power generation in France

The history of nuclear power in France began in the late 1940s, when the French government began investing in nuclear research. The initial aim was to use nuclear power for electricity generation, but France also developed a significant military nuclear industry. Over the decades, France has become one of the world leaders in nuclear power, with more than 50 nuclear reactors in operation. In this article, we’ll look at the key events, scientific discoveries and technological developments that have shaped the French nuclear industry.

Scientific discoveries and France’s role

The discovery of nuclear fission is a key event in the history of nuclear energy. The discovery was made in 1938 by German physicists Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann, and confirmed by Lise Meitner and Otto Frisch. In 1945, the first atomic bomb was developed and used by the USA to end the Second World War.

After the war, France began to invest in nuclear research, mainly for military reasons. In 1948, the Commissariat à l’énergie atomique (CEA) was created to oversee nuclear research in France. Under the leadership of Frédéric Joliot-Curie, the CEA played an important role in the discovery of artificial radioactivity and worked on the development of the French atomic bomb.

Technological developments

France’s first nuclear power plant, the Marcoule plant, went into operation in 1956. It used the first-generation ZOE nuclear reactor. First-generation reactors were light-water reactors using natural uranium as fuel and ordinary water as moderator and coolant.

In the 1960s and 1970s, France experienced rapid growth in its nuclear industry. It built second-generation reactors, such as the pressurized water reactor (PWR), which was more efficient and safer than first-generation reactors. PWR reactors are still widely used in France today.

The 1970s, the Messmer Plan and the deployment of nuclear power in France

The Messmer Plan, named after then French Prime Minister Pierre Messmer, was an energy development plan adopted in 1974 in response to the oil crisis of the time. The plan called for a sharp increase in nuclear power generation in France to reduce the country’s dependence on oil imports. The Messmer plan led to the construction of numerous nuclear power plants in France, with an initial target of 13 reactors per year. In total, 56 reactors have been built in France, making it one of the world’s largest producers of nuclear power.

Nuclear reactor technologies used in France

The majority of nuclear reactors in operation in France are pressurized water reactors (PWRs) [4]. These second-generation reactors use enriched uranium as fuel and water as moderator and coolant.

In a PWR, water is kept under high pressure to prevent it from turning to steam. The heat produced by nuclear fission is transferred to a secondary circuit via a steam generator, where it is converted into steam to drive a turbine and generate electricity.

III. Innovative power plant and reactor projects in France

France is investing in the development of third- and fourth-generation nuclear reactor technologies to improve the safety, efficiency and sustainability of nuclear power generation. Here are a few notable projects:

1. European Pressurized Water Reactors (EPR) : These third-generation reactors are designed to be safer and more efficient than traditional PWRs. EDF and Framatome are developing the EPR, with a capacity of 1,600 electrical megawatts (MWe) [5]. The Flamanville 3 EPR, currently under construction in Normandy, is scheduled for commissioning in 2023 [6]. The Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant in the UK, operated by EDF, also plans to install two EPR reactors [7].
2. Advanced Modular Reactors (AMR ): AMRs are small nuclear reactors (below 300 MWe) designed to be flexible, safe and economical. TechnicAtome, a French company, is developing the Nuward reactor in collaboration with Naval Group, a 50-300 MWe AMR project that uses light water as moderator and coolant [8]. The project is currently in the design phase, with construction scheduled to start in 2030 [9].
3. Fast breeder reactors (F BRs): RNRs are fourth-generation reactors designed to make more efficient use of nuclear fuel and reduce the amount of radioactive waste. The ASTRID sodium-cooled fast breeder reactor (RNR-Na), developed by CEA (Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives), aims to demonstrate the viability of this technology for nuclear waste management and electricity generation [10]. The ASTRID project was halted in 2019, but research on RNR continues in France and abroad [11].

French reactors

Countries producing nuclear power

• [1] Réseau de Transport d’Électricité (RTE). (2021). Bilan Électrique 2020. https://www. rte-france.com/actualites/bilan-electrique-2020-rte
• [2] EDF. (n.d.). Chinon Nuclear Power Plant. https://www.edf.fr/groupe-edf/producteur-industriel/carte-des-implantations/centrale-nucleaire-de-chinon/presentation
• [3] World Nuclear Association. (2021). Nuclear Power in France. https://www. world-nuclear.org/information-library/country-profiles/countries-a-f/france.aspx [4] Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN). (n.d.). Pressurized water reactors (
• PWR). https://www.irsn.fr/FR/connaissances/Installations_nucleaires/Les-centrales-nucleaires/reacteurs-eau-pressurisee/Pages/1-les-reacteurs-a-eau-pressurisee.aspx
• [5] Framatome. (n.d.). EPR™ Reactor. https://www.framatome.com/EN/businessnews-137/framatome-epr-reactor.html
• [6] EDF. (n.d.). Flamanville 3 EPR. https://www.edf.fr/en/the-edf-group/our-locations/around-the-world/europe/france/the-flamanville-3-epr
• [7] EDF Energy (n.d.). Hinkley Point C. https://www.edfenergy.com/energy/nuclear-new-build-projects/hinkley-point-c
• [8] TechnicAtome. (n.d.). The Nuward™ Project. https://www.technicatome.com/en/nuward-project.html
• [9] World Nuclear Association. (2020). SMR designs in development. https://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel-cycle/nuclear-power-reactors/small-nuclear-power-reactors.aspx#ECSArticleLink4
• [10] French Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission (CEA). (n.d.). The ASTRID reactor. https://www.cea.fr/energie/Pages/astrid/le-projet-astrid.aspx
• [11] World Nuclear News. (2019). France’s CEA abandons Astrid fast reactor project. https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Frances-CEA-abandons-Astrid-fast-reactor-project