French nuclear power operator EDF is facing increased annual maintenance costs estimated between €1.5 million and €3.75 million as a result of reduced output from its nuclear reactors, Reuters has reported.
The cost increase is linked to a growing oversupply of solar power onto the French electricity grid.
According to Reuters, nearly 70% of France’s electricity comes from nuclear energy, which represents roughly half of the revenue of state-owned EDF. However, a recent surge in solar power generation has changed the way EDF operates its nuclear fleet.
“The increase in renewable energy has led to a fundamental change in how EDF modulates production, causing it to reduce output during the middle of the day when there is a lot of sunlight—compared to previously when it would do this during periods of low demand in the evening or at the weekend,” EDF said, as cited by Reuters.
Modulation—rapidly reducing reactor output to balance high renewable inflows—doubled in 2024 compared to 2019, driven by the expansion of renewable capacity and sluggish electricity demand.
“The main impact is that increased flexibility will lead to increased maintenance needs and therefore increased costs, simply because some equipment will be used more frequently,” said Jean-Marie Boursier, Deputy Director of EDF’s Nuclear Production Division said.
EDF stressed that modulation is a purely economic measure and does not affect the safety of the nuclear fleet. The company added that increasing electricity consumption would help absorb current production levels and reduce operational strain.
France last week introduced its new multi-annual energy planning law, which calls for expanded renewable energy production and deploying public funds to stimulate domestic electricity demand, which has remained weak.
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