Blayais Nuclear Power Plant, French power plant
The centrale nucléaire du Blayais is a nuclear power plant in Braud-et-Saint-Louis, France, consisting of four reactor units that generate electricity for the Aquitaine region. The facility is located near the Gironde estuary and uses river water to cool the reactors.
The plant was built during the expansion of French nuclear energy when France reorganized its electricity supply. The facility began operating in the 1980s and is now one of the key sites of the state energy company EDF.
The name Blayais refers to the nearby town of Blaye and the marshland that surrounds the facility. Local residents see the plant as part of their landscape, as it has been present in the region for decades and many people work there.
The site is not open to the public due to security measures in place as part of enhanced safety protocols. However, you can view the buildings and cooling towers from a distance if you drive along the surrounding roads and paths.
The plant sits within a vast marshland that ranks among the last protected wetlands of this size in Europe. The surroundings offer a surprising mix of industry and wild nature that shifts with light and wind.
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