Electricite de France said on Thursday it will likely continue to reduce the capacity of its nuclear reactors as hot weather raises river temperatures, Luxembourg Times reports.
EDF uses water to cool reactors before releasing it into rivers, and overheating water can threaten fish and other wildlife. Temperatures are forecast to rise across much of western Europe in the coming days.
Power generation restrictions are likely to affect the Bugey plant from Saturday to Thursday next week, France’s power grid operator said in a statement. The Tricastin nuclear power plant could be curtailed from Sunday.
France’s fleet of 56 reactors provides more than two-thirds of the country’s electricity and is a cornerstone for the European electricity market. While the potential cuts are not a concern in terms of energy supply, they could lead to an increase in short-term electricity prices.
The situation threatens to further increase electricity prices, which hit record levels in France and Germany on Tuesday. In the UK, a substantial tariff increase was announced in October.
Electricity prices for delivery on Thursday in France were at 31.01 euros per megawatt hour, while across the border in Germany on the Epex Spot SE exchange at 93.15 euros.
