Finance
France to harness nuclear power for AI data centres, says macron
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 10, 2026
1 min readLast updated: March 10, 2026
Quick Summary
France’s record-breaking net electricity exports—nearly 90 TWh in 2024—are rooted in its abundant low‑carbon nuclear power. President Macron says this surplus enables expansion of AI data centres without affecting domestic supply.
France Plans to Use Nuclear Power for AI Data Centres, Macron Confirms
France’s Strategy for AI and Data Centre Energy Needs
Macron Highlights France’s Decarbonized Electricity Exports
PARIS, March 10 (Reuters) - France will be able to open data centres and meet the needs of artificial intelligence thanks to its large energy exports, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday.
Nuclear Power as a Competitive Advantage
"In France, last year, we exported 90 terawatt-hours of decarbonized electricity. Thanks to our nuclear plants, we have the ability to open data centers, to build computing capacity, to be at the heart of the artificial intelligence challenge," Macron said in his keynote speech at the World Nuclear Energy summit in Paris.
Reporting and Editorial Credits
(Reporting by Forrest Crellin and Gianluca Lo Nostro; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta)
Key Takeaways
- •France achieved a historic net electricity export of approximately 89 TWh in 2024, its highest in over two decades, driven by strong nuclear and hydro output and subdued domestic demand (enerdata.net).
- •France’s electricity generation mix is heavily decarbonised—about 67–70% nuclear plus significant hydro—making its surplus both clean and stable (world-nuclear.org).
- •In leveraging this clean energy surplus, Macron argues France can host AI data centres powered by nuclear energy (“plug baby, plug”), enabling infrastructure build‑out without compromising household supply (datacenterdynamics.com).
References
Frequently Asked Questions about France to harness nuclear power for AI data centres, says Macron
1How will France support AI data centres?
France will use its nuclear power and large energy exports to open and operate AI data centres.
2What did President Macron say about nuclear energy?
Macron stated that France's decarbonized electricity exports enable the country to expand AI computing capacity.
3How much decarbonized electricity did France export last year?
France exported 90 terawatt-hours of decarbonized electricity last year.
4Where did Emmanuel Macron make this announcement?
Macron made the announcement at the World Nuclear Energy summit in Paris.
