BLAYAIS — France

BLAYAIS is a 3,804 MW nuclear power station in Aquitaine, France. It is operated by Électricité de France (EDF). Based on reported annual generation of 26,114 GWh, it can supply roughly 7.5 million homes. It ranks #9 of 2,216 France power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1981, it is around 45 years old — long-established. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, nuclear supplies about 68.8% of France's electricity; the national grid averages 41 gCO₂/kWh (94.9% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1002694.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000500134; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 3,804 MW, BLAYAIS is well above the median nuclear plant in France (3,122 MW). Technically it is described as pressurized water reactor. Nuclear plants split uranium to raise steam with no direct CO₂; they run as steady baseload with very high capacity factors and the longest operating lifetimes of any thermal plant.

Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.

Key facts

Load factor

78%, from 26,114 GWh of reported generation; the median for 19 nuclear plants in France that report generation is 70%

Generation trend

19,708 GWh in 2015 and 26,114 GWh in 2017 (+33%)

Highest and lowest year

2017: 26,114 GWh; 2015: 19,708 GWh

Share of France nuclear capacity

5.1% of 74,927 MW across 23 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

9 of 21 dated nuclear plants in France are older

Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).

Reported generation trend

Annual generation (GWh), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

Owner

Operated by Électricité de France (EDF).

Local climate & thermal context

This nuclear plant uses heat from nuclear fission to raise steam for a turbine-generator. It sits in a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 45.3°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

Monthly mean temperature

Heating degree-days here run 18% below the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.

Climate heat-demand index: 43/100 — this site sits in the mid third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.

Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.

Site climate & environmental severity

This site sits in a corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C4 — High), with humidity / wetness the leading environmental stress.

Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.

How it compares & nearby plants

The #9 largest nuclear power plant of 23 in France by capacity.

France has 23 nuclear power plants in this dataset, together about 74,927 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Pauillac · Solar · 8.69 MW · Aquitaine
• Roubisque · Solar · 4.5 MW · Aquitaine
• Montendre · Solar · 5.8 MW · Poitou-Charentes
• Guitinières · Solar · 1.5 MW · Poitou-Charentes
• La Redoune · Solar · 12 MW · Aquitaine
• Le Gartiou · Solar · 8.7 MW · Aquitaine

Location

Coordinates 45.256, -0.6932 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions