Baghdad: A record-breaking heatwave hitting France has forced the state-owned electricity company to take approximately 6 percent of the country's total nuclear power capacity offline.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the decision involved shutting down three reactors in compliance with environmental regulations regarding the discharge of cooling water, after river temperatures rose to levels that could threaten aquatic ecosystems.

French nuclear power plants use large quantities of water for cooling before returning it to rivers at higher temperatures. This is the second partial reactor shutdown in recent weeks, as the intense heatwave continues to grip France, with temperatures exceeding 41 degrees Celsius and affecting more than 25 million people.

French authorities confirmed that the measures taken are temporary and aim to protect the environment while ensuring the continued operation of the electricity grid as much as possible under these exceptional weather conditions.