In 2024, French nuclear power plants produced 67% of the country’s electricity, reaching their highest level in six years. The figure, released by grid operator RTE, reflects a sharp rebound after two difficult years: nuclear output grew 13% year-on-year, with 361.7 TWh generated. France remains the country with the highest nuclear share in the world among major producers, ahead of Slovakia (62%) and Hungary (42%).
The result is all the more significant when viewed against the broader picture of France’s energy mix. In 2024, 95% of French electricity came from low-carbon sources — nuclear and renewables combined. Emissions from the power sector hit a historic low of 21.3 grams of CO2 equivalent per kilowatt-hour. Fossil fuels accounted for just 19.9 TWh, falling below solar output for the first time since the 1950s. France also became the world’s largest net electricity exporter, shipping 89 TWh to neighbouring countries in 2024 — an all-time record.
This achievement is no accident. It is the product of a political decision made half a century ago and never entirely reversed, even during periods when reducing nuclear’s role was on the agenda. In 2014, a target was set to bring the nuclear share down to 50% by 2025. That deadline was first pushed back to 2035, then dropped altogether in 2023. Today, the direction has reversed: the government has confirmed the construction of six new EPR2 reactors and is weighing the option of adding eight more by 2050. In December 2024, the EPR reactor at Flamanville came online as the country’s 57th operational unit, bringing total installed capacity to 62.9 GWe.
Across Europe, nuclear power is increasingly seen as a concrete response to dependence on imported fossil fuels. The need to reduce reliance on Russian gas — never fully resolved in the years following 2022 — has renewed interest in generation sources capable of delivering continuity and energy independence. France, Slovakia, and Hungary demonstrate that this path is viable. Countries with historically different energy structures are looking at nuclear with growing interest: Poland has launched procedures for its first plant, while several EU member states are reassessing their positions.
France’s 2024 figures point to a trajectory that shows no signs of fading. With the existing fleet stabilised, the new Flamanville EPR now operational, and EPR2 projects in development, France is set to keep nuclear power as the cornerstone of its energy sovereignty for decades to come. If construction programmes proceed on schedule, the country could further expand its generating capacity by 2035, reinforcing its role as a net exporter while driving down the carbon intensity of an electricity system already among the cleanest in Europe.
