The Golfech nuclear power plant, located in the southwestern part of France, has been temporarily shut down due to a heatwave, a precautionary step to safeguard the nearby Garonne River from overheating.
This decision was made public on Monday by Électricité de France (EDF), the state-owned power company, as reported by the DPA news agency.
EDF confirmed that the plant was taken offline on Sunday evening to prevent the water temperatures in the Garonne River from rising too high. This river is crucial as it provides cooling water for the plant’s reactor systems.
River Temperatures on the Rise
The current heatwave is causing river temperatures to soar, with predictions indicating that the Garonne could hit 28°C on Monday. While EDF hasn’t specified how long the Golfech facility will stay offline, forecasts suggest that this heatwave—bringing temperatures as high as 40°C in some areas—might last until midweek.
Operations at another EDF nuclear plant, Blayais, located in western France, have also been reduced due to concerns about overheating in the Gironde estuary. Similar precautionary measures are being evaluated at the Bugey plant, which relies on water from the Rhône River for cooling.
EDF reassured that the overall impact on electricity production would be minimal. Historically, the utility noted that heat-related shutdowns or restrictions at nuclear plants have only led to an average annual energy output reduction of about 0.3 percent since the year 2000.
These actions underscore the increasing challenges that energy infrastructure faces as Europe grapples with more frequent and severe heatwaves, a trend largely linked to climate change.
