France, Dec. 14 -- "14 December 2025 marks a key step: the Flamanville 3 reactor reached 100% nuclear power at 11:37am and generated 1,669 MW of gross electrical power," EDF said in a statement, a few days after receiving clearance from the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Authority (ASNR).

Flamanville 3, the first new nuclear reactor to start up in France in 25 years, was connected to the national grid on 21 December 2024 - 12 years later than originally planned. Its costs have soared from an initial estimate of €3.3 billion to as much as €23.7 billion in 2023 prices, according to France's Court of Auditors.

Nuclear energy, which makes up a major share of France's electricity production, remains central to the countr...