a fourth nuclear power plant authorized to release hotter-than-normal water to continue operating

And four. A temporary derogation from environmental rules has been granted to a new nuclear power plant, that of Bugey, in Ain, to allow it to continue to operate “at a minimum power level” during the heat wave, according to a decree published on Sunday July 17 in the Official Journal.

“The reactors of the Bugey nuclear power station discharging effluents into the Rhône may, during the fixed period (…), continue to discharge these discharges as long as the heating after mixing of the effluents into the Rhône (. ..) does not exceed 3°C in average daily value”specifies the decree of Sunday.

On Friday, a derogation had been granted to the nuclear power plants of Golfech (Tarn-et-Garonne), Blayais (Gironde) and Saint-Alban (Isère). For these three power stations and that of Bugey, the authorization was granted until July 24th. And this, while 29 French reactors out of 56 are currently unavailable for various reasons.

Since 2006, each power plant has had its own regulatory water discharge temperature limits that must not be exceeded, so as not to overheat the surrounding waterways and to protect their fauna and flora. The power plants indeed pump water to cool the reactors, before rejecting it. The derogation device, which aims to guarantee the proper functioning of the electricity network, had so far only been used once, in 2018 for the Golfech plant, for 36 hours.