In 2022, a record 26 out of France's 56 nuclear reactors were offline simultaneously for maintenance or repairs[2]. This was due to the discovery of cracks and corrosion in some pipes used for cooling reactor cores. This unprecedented number of shutdowns significantly impacted France's nuclear energy production capacity[2]. The issues continued into 2023, with EDF (Électricité de France) working to restart all but 10 reactors by January of that year[2]. The problems were severe enough that France's nuclear output decreased by 23% in 2022, with about a dozen of its 56 reactors halted to replace cracked pipes[4].
These shutdowns were a result of several factors:
1. Extended maintenance work 2. Repairs for cracks and corrosion in cooling systems 3. Weather-related curtailments due to high river temperatures[3]
It's worth noting that while these issues were significant, they were temporary. By January 2023, France's nuclear energy availability had returned to nearly 70%[3]. However, the situation highlighted the challenges facing France's aging nuclear fleet and the need for ongoing maintenance and investment in the sector.
