Jun 12, 2025
France activates its nuclear sector to drive growth.
A strategic contract has been established among key French industrial stakeholders, the government, and trade unions to coordinate the country's nuclear sector for extending the operational life of existing reactors and building new ones.
In February 2022, President Emmanuel Macron declared that the time was ripe for a nuclear revival in France, advocating for the safe extension of all current reactors and proposing a plan for six new EPR2 reactors, with the possibility of an additional eight. The first three pairs of these reactors are set to be constructed sequentially at the Penly, Gravelines, and Bugey sites, with construction anticipated to begin in 2027.
However, since the announcement, the French Nuclear Strategic Committee (CSFN) noted a lack of a cohesive framework for collaboration among the various parties involved.
The nuclear industry, the government, and trade unions have now signed a strategic contract agreeing to collaborate on life extension and new construction projects. This contract, developed through extensive consultations led by CSFN, outlines a shared vision and commitment for the period from 2025 to 2028.
The agreement was formalized during a ceremony in Paris on June 10, attended by 600 representatives from the French nuclear supply chain. It was signed by Energy and Industry Minister Marc Ferracci and Economy Minister Eric Lombard, along with leaders from key industry entities (including EDF, Orano, CEA, Framatome, and ANDRA) and professional organizations within the nuclear domain.
The contract is structured around four main pillars: industrial performance (ensuring quality and timely project completion through a competitive and cooperative supply chain); workforce development (addressing recruitment and training to achieve an average of 10,000 new hires annually while enhancing skills); research and innovation (allocating significant resources to R&D to fast-track next-generation technologies, including small modular reactors and advances in fuel cycle and waste management); and a transition to low-carbon energy (integrating the sector into a broader carbon neutrality framework by producing low-emission electricity and aiding European greenhouse gas reduction goals).
"The strategic contract for the nuclear sector embodies the shared commitment of the State and industry players to initiate a coordinated action plan to revitalize the French nuclear sector, which is crucial for energy independence and technological innovation," stated the Ministry of Energy. "President Macron emphasized the critical role of nuclear energy in combating climate change and ensuring energy sovereignty. This contract now provides the operational means to achieve this goal."
CSFN will supervise the contract's execution, closely collaborating with government agencies and stakeholders to coordinate efforts, support key projects, assess progress, and adjust actions based on the sector's needs.
"This sector contract signifies a significant advancement in pursuing an ambitious and comprehensive industrial strategy," Minister Ferracci remarked during the signing ceremony. "It is ambitious as the State is making substantial investments in the sector's future, including extending the existing fleet beyond 50 and 60 years and constructing new facilities: six EPR2 reactors, with the potential for eight more. It is also ambitious because the State is backing research and innovation in SMRs, fostering a dynamic ecosystem."
Minister Lombard noted, "The timeframe from 2025 to 2028 is critical. It represents a resurgence of nuclear power, following the President's speech in Belfort in 2022. This momentum we are creating today addresses contemporary challenges: energy sovereignty amidst escalating geopolitical tensions, energy transformation during a climate emergency, and striving for carbon neutrality by 2050, while enhancing the competitiveness of our French and European economies."
In February 2022, President Emmanuel Macron declared that the time was ripe for a nuclear revival in France, advocating for the safe extension of all current reactors and proposing a plan for six new EPR2 reactors, with the possibility of an additional eight. The first three pairs of these reactors are set to be constructed sequentially at the Penly, Gravelines, and Bugey sites, with construction anticipated to begin in 2027.
However, since the announcement, the French Nuclear Strategic Committee (CSFN) noted a lack of a cohesive framework for collaboration among the various parties involved.
The nuclear industry, the government, and trade unions have now signed a strategic contract agreeing to collaborate on life extension and new construction projects. This contract, developed through extensive consultations led by CSFN, outlines a shared vision and commitment for the period from 2025 to 2028.
The agreement was formalized during a ceremony in Paris on June 10, attended by 600 representatives from the French nuclear supply chain. It was signed by Energy and Industry Minister Marc Ferracci and Economy Minister Eric Lombard, along with leaders from key industry entities (including EDF, Orano, CEA, Framatome, and ANDRA) and professional organizations within the nuclear domain.
The contract is structured around four main pillars: industrial performance (ensuring quality and timely project completion through a competitive and cooperative supply chain); workforce development (addressing recruitment and training to achieve an average of 10,000 new hires annually while enhancing skills); research and innovation (allocating significant resources to R&D to fast-track next-generation technologies, including small modular reactors and advances in fuel cycle and waste management); and a transition to low-carbon energy (integrating the sector into a broader carbon neutrality framework by producing low-emission electricity and aiding European greenhouse gas reduction goals).
"The strategic contract for the nuclear sector embodies the shared commitment of the State and industry players to initiate a coordinated action plan to revitalize the French nuclear sector, which is crucial for energy independence and technological innovation," stated the Ministry of Energy. "President Macron emphasized the critical role of nuclear energy in combating climate change and ensuring energy sovereignty. This contract now provides the operational means to achieve this goal."
CSFN will supervise the contract's execution, closely collaborating with government agencies and stakeholders to coordinate efforts, support key projects, assess progress, and adjust actions based on the sector's needs.
"This sector contract signifies a significant advancement in pursuing an ambitious and comprehensive industrial strategy," Minister Ferracci remarked during the signing ceremony. "It is ambitious as the State is making substantial investments in the sector's future, including extending the existing fleet beyond 50 and 60 years and constructing new facilities: six EPR2 reactors, with the potential for eight more. It is also ambitious because the State is backing research and innovation in SMRs, fostering a dynamic ecosystem."
Minister Lombard noted, "The timeframe from 2025 to 2028 is critical. It represents a resurgence of nuclear power, following the President's speech in Belfort in 2022. This momentum we are creating today addresses contemporary challenges: energy sovereignty amidst escalating geopolitical tensions, energy transformation during a climate emergency, and striving for carbon neutrality by 2050, while enhancing the competitiveness of our French and European economies."