French Nuclear Power Hits Five-Year High, Compensating for Weak Wind Output

France’s nuclear power generation surged to its highest level in almost five years on Thursday, providing a crucial boost to the nation’s energy supply amid a significant drop in European wind power, Bloomberg reports.

Data from grid operator RTE shows that Electricite de France SA (EDF) reactors produced 51,906 megawatts of electricity at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday. This output stands in stark contrast to the significantly lower wind power generation across Europe. Bloomberg models predict that wind power generation in Germany, Europe’s largest electricity market, will be a mere fraction of France’s nuclear output.

The strong performance of EDF’s 56 nuclear units comes as the company announced a second upward revision of its nuclear power production target for the year. EDF now expects to generate between 358 and 364 terawatt-hours (TWh) of nuclear energy in 2024, an increase from its previous forecast of 340-360 TWh. This upward revision reflects the improved performance of its nuclear fleet.

The increased nuclear output is seen as critical in offsetting the shortfall in renewable energy sources.