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France Authorizes 20 Reactors to Operate Past 40-Year Design Life

The approval sets safety upgrades through 2040, with the first reactor review at Paluel in early 2026 under public inquiry and annual reporting requirements.

Les réacteurs de la centrale de Cattenom, en Moselle, compte parmi les 20 qui pourront être prolongés de 10 ans, selon la décision annoncée jeudi 3 juillet par l’Autorité de sûreté du nucléaire.
La centrale de Flamanville, en Normandie.
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Overview

  • The Autorité de sûreté nucléaire et de radioprotection granted a fourth periodic safety review authorizing 20 EDF reactors to run beyond their original 40-year lifespan.
  • The extension covers 1,300 MW units at Belleville-sur-Loire, Cattenom, Flamanville 1 and 2, Golfech, Nogent-sur-Seine, Paluel, Penly and Saint-Alban/Saint-Maurice.
  • EDF will update design studies or replace critical equipment and carry out site modifications through 2040 to align older reactors with modern safety standards.
  • Reactor-by-reactor evaluations will begin at Paluel in early 2026, each subject to a public inquiry and an annual transparency report.
  • These 20 reactors generate over 40 percent of France’s nuclear electricity, bolstering the country’s low-carbon mix and energy independence strategy.