EDF
Compare EDF…French state-controlled utility operating 56 reactors (~63 GW), generating ~65% of French electricity. Lead developer of the EPR2 fleet program.
SectorsNuclear
Register for a premium account to gain access to Sterling AI.
Get StartedThings you can ask Sterling:
EDFFrench state-controlled utility operating 56 reactors (~63 GW), generating ~65% of French electricity. Lead developer of the EPR2 fleet program.
| Class / Generation | Reactors | First Criticality Period | Current License Status + Extension | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CP0 (900 MW first gen; 6 reactors at Bugey 2-5 + Fessenheim 1-2) | 6 | 1977-1979 | Fessenheim 1+2 permanently shut 2020; Bugey 2-5 received 40-to-50yr extensions; review for 50-to-60yr underway | |
| CP1/CP2 (900 MW; 28 reactors) | 28 | 1980-1987 | All received 40-to-50yr extensions; ASN reviewing 50-to-60yr extensions in waves through 2030 | |
| P4 (1,300 MW second gen; 8 reactors) | 8 | 1985-1989 | ASN review of 40-to-50yr extension in progress; first reactor reaching 40-year mark mid-decade | |
| P'4 (1,300 MW; 12 reactors) | 12 | 1989-1993 | ASN review of 40-to-50yr extension scheduled for late-decade | |
| N4 (1,450 MW third gen; 4 reactors at Chooz B + Civaux) | 4 | 1996-2002 | Newest generation; first 40-year mark mid-2030s | |
| EPR (1,650 MW; Flamanville 3) | 1 (commissioned) | 2024 | Newest reactor; first criticality Sep 2024; commercial operation 2025 | |
| EPR2 fleet (target 1,670 MW each; first 6 + 8 commitment) | 0 of 6-14 planned | 2035-2042 target | Construction start target 2027; cost target ~10 to 12 billion EUR per pair; FOAK risk | |
| Total operational fleet capacity (FY2024) | 56 reactors operating + Fessenheim 2 shut + Flamanville 3 commissioning | 1977 to 2024 build span | ~63 GW; provides ~70% of French electricity | |
| Editorial. Why this matters | Strategic context | EDF's fleet is the largest single-operator nuclear portfolio globally + the cleanest case study in life-extension + new-build economics at industrial scale. The marquee question: does France maintain 60+ GW nuclear through 2040 via combined 40-to-50yr + 50-to-60yr extensions, or does the EPR2 buildout deliver the planned 6 + 8 reactors on the stated 2035-2042 cadence to offset the slow retirement of the legacy CP0/CP1/CP2 fleet through the 2040s-2050s? |