Overview

• Seventy-six MPs led by the National Rally submitted a bill on July 11 to launch a five-year Bitcoin mining pilot at state-owned EDF nuclear sites.
• The plan would divert excess nuclear power—France gets over 70 percent of its electricity from nuclear—and automatically shut down rigs when demand rises to protect grid stability.
• Estimates from the Association for the Development of Digital Assets project that redirecting one gigawatt of surplus power could generate $100 million to $150 million annually, with byproduct heat recoverable for local heating uses.
• The draft law is under economic assessment by ministers and awaits debate in the National Assembly as some National Rally deputies and environmental groups warn of energy-use and monetary-sovereignty risks.
• The proposal marks a reversal of the National Rally’s prior crypto ban stance and follows similar state-backed mining initiatives in Pakistan, Bhutan and El Salvador.