Gravelines Nuclear Power Station


The Gravelines Nuclear Power Station is one of the largest nuclear power stations in the world, and the largest in Western Europe. It is located near the commune of Gravelines in Nord, France, approximately from Dunkerque and Calais. Its cooling water comes from the North Sea. The plant consists of 6 nuclear reactors of 900 MW each. In 2017 the plant produced 31.67 TWh of electric energy, 5.9% of French electricity production. Two reactors entered service in 1980, two in 1981, and two in 1985.
The site employs 1,680 regular employees., it became the first nuclear station anywhere in the world to produce over one thousand terawatt-hour of electricity.
The reactors of units 5 and 6 were initially intended for export to Iran, but the order was cancelled after the Iranian revolution in 1979. Their design, known as CPY, was the basis for the Chinese CPR-1000. An intermediate derivative is called the M310.
to Dunkerque.

Incidents

The cooling water that carries waste heat from the plant is used by a local commune of aquafarmers who raise European seabass and gilt-head breams. The warm water helps them grow faster.