Several French media outlets have reported on plans by the French government to start building its first new generation nuclear reactors before May 2027. The government plans to build at least six new EPRs, replacing current sites reaching the end of their lifespan by the end of 2030.
The French government plans to spend an estimated €52 billion on these new reactors.
French President Emmanuel Macron had previously promised to build eight new generation nuclear power plants under the climate law.
Agnes Pannier-Runacher, France’s Ecological Transformation Minister, said that the reactors will be installed in the vicinity of the existing nuclear reactors. She said that the move would enable the country to save time during the transition to green energy. She claimed that the new reactors could be operational before 2035.