Is the revival of dilapidated nuclear reactors feasible before February 2023?

Will we have enough electricity for next winter? A question that runs through the minds of the French, but about which the government wanted to be reassuring. Agnès Pannier-Runacher, Minister for Energy Transition, indicates that “EDF is committed to restarting all nuclear reactors”.

Of the 56 reactors present on French territory, 32 are shut down for the time being. But according to EDF, all will be operational by February 2023. However, nine reactors raise a question given their dilapidated state. Some of them have cracks on the circuits allowing the reactor to be cooled. If the nuclear safety authority says that no reactor will leave without its green light, some specialists consider this schedule utopian. EDF nevertheless specifies that 17 reactors were inactive last winter, without this leading to a cut.