Électricité de France (EDF) is currently in discussions with three providers to source power for their 1GW data centre projects in France, as reported by Reuters.

The increasing demand for data centres, fuelled by the increasing use of AI, has highlighted the potential of nuclear power as a clean energy source for technology firms.

EDF executive director in charge of clients and territories, Marc Benayoun, briefed the press about the ongoing negotiations for the data centre projects.

The search for appropriate sites is still underway, and Banayoun declined to disclose the names of the companies involved.

French electricity demand has not yet returned to pre-Covid-19-pandemic levels.

Consequently, EDF anticipates exporting up to 90 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity in 2024.

The company’s annual electricity exports, currently around 40TWh, have seen a significant increase in 2024, partly due to lower electricity prices in France compared to markets such as Germany.

Future electricity demand is expected to rise with the electrification of transportation, alongside the needs of the industrial sector and data centres.

EDF is extending its range of nuclear reactors of several sizes to meet the specific requirements of countries and electricity networks across the world.

The company intends to develop and construct 30GW of solar power plants in the country through its subsidiary EDF Energies Nouvelles.

The move is in line with the government’s target of rebalancing France’s energy mix via the expansion of renewable energy capacity across the country.