Overview

• Axpo halted Beznau’s Block 1 and capped Block 2 at 50% after the Aare river exceeded Switzerland’s 25 °C cooling limit.
• EDF’s Golfech plant remains offline and Blayais runs at reduced power as Garonne, Gironde and Rhône temperatures climb to 28 °C, with Bugey facing potential cuts.
• Operators invoke strict environmental regulations that cap discharge temperatures to prevent thermal pollution and shield aquatic life.
• Shrinking nuclear output has driven France to import electricity, including German green power, and spiked wholesale prices across Europe.
• Climate scientists warn that rising river temperatures will likely force more frequent nuclear throttling as heatwaves intensify.