Golfech nuclear plant shut down in France amid record 42°C heatwave

A severe heatwave with temperatures reaching 42 °C forced the Golfech nuclear power plant in southwest France to suspend operations for a third time this summer. The River Garonne, used for cooling, exceeded the regulatory limit of 28 °C, prompting EDF to halt reactor 2 while reactor 1 was already in scheduled maintenance, leaving the site offline.

The shutdown highlights the growing vulnerability of nuclear facilities to extreme weather linked to climate change and raises concerns about France’s ability to meet summer electricity demand without relying on additional, potentially carbon‑intensive, power sources.