Europe’s Nuclear Plants Can’t Beat the Heat

AI Summary

Europe faces energy challenges as a heat wave forces multiple nuclear power plants, including five in France, to reduce output due to cooling constraints from high river temperatures. This situation threatens energy security and heightens risks of blackouts, stressing environmental and energy systems across the continent.

Europe’s blistering heat wave is threatening energy security across the continent as power plants shut down and the risk of rolling blackouts rises. Electric grids are overstressed, and ecosystems are too. Rivers are greatly affected by soaring temperatures, which in turn impacts the energy industry and power plants that rely on that water supply for their cooling systems. Just this week, France announced that it will reduce production at as many as five nuclear power plants, with two already curbing output this week. France is expected to…