France Delays First EPR2 Nuclear Reactor Launch to 2038

The revised timeline follows a nuclear policy council meeting and includes a state-backed funding plan for six new reactors.

The French government announced that the first EPR2 reactor is now expected to be operational by 2038, moving back from the earlier target of 2035.
The delay was confirmed following a nuclear policy council meeting chaired by President Emmanuel Macron on March 17, 2025.
The financing plan includes a state-backed loan covering at least half of the construction costs, with a guaranteed electricity price cap of €100 per megawatt-hour in 2024 terms.
EDF is expected to provide a detailed cost and timeline estimate by the end of 2025, with the final investment decision planned for 2026.
The EPR2 program aims to construct six reactors across three sites—Penly, Gravelines, and Bugey—with long-term goals of enhancing nuclear fuel recycling and reducing uranium dependency.