Strengths of the generation fleet

The Group’s generation fleet has significant strengths:

• a competitive generation mix with low variable generation costs ⁽¹⁾;
• a variety of means of generation, which enable adequate coverage of EDF’s downstream portfolio needs (end users, sales to alternative suppliers, sales on the wholesale markets, etc.). Use of the fleet’s various components is managed by giving priority, at any given time, to the generation type offering the lowest variable costs: run-of-river hydropower plants are used for base generation; nuclear plants, because of their low variable generation costs, are used for base and mid-merit generation; adjustable hydropower generation (coming from dams) complemented by pumped-storage hydropower plant (STEP) ⁽²⁾ and thermal fleet are used for mid-merit and peak generation;
• a significant standardised fleet of nuclear facilities, for which EDF provides full control over their entire life cycle. Moreover, EDF is working towards extending the operating lifespan of its power plants and improving their technical performance;
• a fleet generating at 90% without CO₂ emissions due to the predominance of nuclear and hydropower generation facilities, in an increasingly restrictive environmental regulatory context;
• a geographical position at the junction of electricity exchanges between the continental platform and the electric peninsulas (Italy, Spain and the UK).

Composition and specifications of the installed fleet

EDF fleet in mainland France

With a total installed generation capacity of 88.8GW in mainland France ⁽³⁾ at 31 December 2019, EDF has the largest generation fleet in Europe, accounting for nearly 7.6% of the total installed capacity in the main European countries ⁽⁴⁾ (the 35 member areas of ENTSO-E – European Network Transmission System Operators for Electricity – that includes Germany, Italy and Spain).

In 2019, in mainland France, EDF’s generation fleet produced 422.7TWh excluding pumped storage hydropower, and 429TWh including pumped storage hydropower.

At 31 December 2019, the capacity of EDF’s generation fleet was mainly composed of:

• 58 nuclear units based on pressurised water reactors (PWR) (a unit is defined as a generation unit including a reactor, steam generator, a turbine, a generator, the related equipment and the buildings that house them). These units have electrical power capacities varying from 900 MW to 1,500MW and are spread out over 19 sites, with an average age of 34 years (see section 1.4.1.1 “Nuclear power generation in France”);
• 20 functioning thermal units, with an average age of around 21 years (see section 1.4.1.4 “Thermal generation in mainland France”);
• 432 hydropower plants, with an average age of 75 years ⁽⁵⁾ (see section 1.4.1.5.1 “Hydropower generation in France”);
• and other hydropower plants owned by Group subsidiaries: SHEMA group (100%) and CERGA (owned 50/50 with the German electricity company EnBW) which represent a total installed capacity of approximately 142MW in 2019.

Installed capacity and production in mainland France

Installed capacity

in MW

• Thermal⁽²⁾ : 5,525 MW (6%) 
• Nuclear : 63,130 MW (71%) 
• Hydropower⁽¹⁾: 20,089 MW (23%) 
• Wind : 12 MW
• Total : 88,756 MW

Expressed in megawatts of maximum capacity linked to the network.
(1) Excluding Corsica and overseas departments, 439 MW in 2019 and including tidal generation capacity of 240 MW.
(2) Excluding Corsica and overseas departments, 1,621 MW in 2019.

Output

in TWh

• Thermal⁽³⁾ : 9.8 TWh (2%) 
•  Wind : 0.01 TWh
• Hydropower⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾ : 39.7 TWh (9%) 
•  Nuclear : 379.5 TWh (89%) 
•  Total : 429 TWh

(1) Excluding Corsica and overseas departments, representing 1.2 TWh in 2019.
(2) Generation including pumped storage consumption: the electricity consumption needed for the operation of pumped storage power plants (STEP) amounted to 6.3 TWh in 2019, resulting in net hydropower generation (included pumped storage consumption) of 33.4 TWh, and including generation from the tidal power on the Rance river of 0.5 TWh.
(3) Excluding Corsica and overseas departments, 4.6 TWh in 2019.
NB: The values correspond to the expression to the first decimal or integer closest to the sum of the precise values, taking into account rounding.

(1) Variable generation costs correspond to all costs that vary directly with the amount of energy generated. Variable costs for electricity generation are mainly fuel costs.
(2) EDF operates 5GW of STEP in France and its engineering is referenced to the tune of 30GW abroad (e.g.: Israel, Chile).
(3) Excluding Corsica and French overseas departments.
(4) Calculation based on the ENTSO-E statistics for the year 2018, as the statistics for the year are only available on 30 April of the following year
(5) Arithmetic mean.