France is one of the leading countries in the world with regard to generation of electricity from nuclear power, ranking second after the United States of America. Today, nearly 75% of the electricity generated in France is from nuclear power plants while the remaining 25% is mainly from hydroelectric power plants. Electricite de France (EDF) is the principal corporation responsible for power generation and distribution in France. In recent years, it has been observed that nuclear power in France has made EDF the highest electricity producing corporation in European Union, and the biggest exporter of electricity in Europe.

Some claim that nuclear power generation research started in France in last few decades of the nineteenth century. France was gifted with two world famous nuclear science researchers, namely, Marie and Pierre Curie, who contributed a lot to the early research of nuclear energy with in the country. France administers the nuclear science research and development through its governmental agency Commissariat a l’Energie Atomique (CEA). CEA performs basic and in detail research in various fields of nuclear science. These fields include nuclear reactors, applications in medical fields, applications in seismology propagation and development of multipurpose ICs. The CEA is also responsible for work on research and developments of nuclear weapons. In recent decades, CEA and AREVA, a global leader in nuclear reactors, have formed AREVA NP, which is solely responsible for developing modernized nuclear reactors in France.

There are more than 50 reactors that produce nuclear power in France. These reactors fall in three groups, classified on the basis of their capacity to produce electricity. They are classified as: i) 900 MW, ii) 1300 MW and iii) 1450 MW capacity nuclear reactors. France has thirty-three nuclear reactors of 900 MW capacity, twenty nuclear reactors of 1300 MW capacity and four nuclear reactors that can produce more that 1450MW of electric power. The 900 MW nuclear reactors were built during the years when nuclear power in France was first introduced. The first one began functioning during the year 1970, while the rest were constructed periodically over the following decade.

The major drawback of Nuclear power in France is that the water that is being used to cool the reactors is discharged at a higher temperature, which has severe effects on the environment. It has become difficult for the administration to control the development of heat waves while the hot water is returned to the environment. This is mainly because most of the reactors have been built away from the sea.