France Halts Golfech Nuclear Plant Operations Amid Heatwave Threat

EDF, France’s national electricity company, has officially suspended operations at the Golfech Nuclear Power Plant on Thursday (9/7). The emergency measure was taken after an extreme heatwave caused the temperature of water in the Garonne river, which serves as the reactor’s cooling system, to rise sharply.

“Unit No. 2 at the EDF Golfech nuclear power plant was shut down on Thursday, 9 July, at 11.30 local time (16.30 WIB),” EDF said in an official statement.

The shutdown of the second unit has effectively brought the entire Golfech nuclear plant to a total halt, as the facility’s first reactor is currently undergoing routine maintenance.

The decision to halt operations was based on strict regulations in France. The rules require nuclear power plants to reduce capacity or stop electricity production entirely during periods of extreme heat in order to prevent river water temperatures from rising further.

The measure is crucial to protecting the local ecosystem and aquatic life. The temperature of the Garonne river is predicted to continue climbing, reaching 28 degrees Celsius on Friday.

France and several other European countries have been gripped by an intense heatwave in recent weeks. At the end of June, the French meteorological agency even issued its highest-level heat warning for 72 of the country’s 96 departments — a new record in the nation’s history.

The situation adds to the challenges facing France’s energy sector as it struggles to maintain the stability of the national electricity supply at a time when demand for air conditioning has risen dramatically due to the hot weather. (Ant/Sputnik/H-3)