- Title: France to harness nuclear power for AI data centre, says Macron
- Date: 10th March 2026
- Summary: BOULOGNE-BILLANCOURT, FRANCE (MARCH 10, 2026) (AGENCY POOL) (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH PRESIDENT, EMMANUEL MACRON, SAYING: “In France, last year, we exported 90 terawatt-hours of decarbonised electricity. Thanks to our nuclear plants, we have the ability to open data centres, to build computing capacity, to be at the heart of the artificial intelligence challenge, with e
- Embargoed:
- Keywords: AI Macron data centres nuclear energy uranium
- Location: VARIOUS LOCATIONS, FRANCE
- City: VARIOUS LOCATIONS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Europe,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA003260410032026RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: PLEASE NOTE: SEQUENCE OF MACRON WITH MODI IS MUTE
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 (March 10).
"In France, last year, we exported 90 terawatt-hours of decarbonized electricity. Thanks to our nuclear plants, we have the ability to open data centres, 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 Boulogne-Billancourt, near Paris.
Macron said the EU must also develop “free movement decarbonised electrons” that will feed into a European electricity mix, with different member countries contributing, which he said “will allow to bring together competitiveness, climate change (adaptation) and sovereignty.”
Macron also encouraged European countries to become competitive in developing small modular reactors or SMRs, where he said the U.S., Canada and China are leading the market.
In February, French Finance Minister Roland Lescure said France will seek to boost electricity production from nuclear and renewables by 20% over the next decade, and will publish an electrification plan soon to help drive the move away from fossil fuels.
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