Phenix
Reactor Data
Reactor Units
Every power reactor at this site as listed in the IAEA Power Reactor Information System (PRIS): reactor type and model, net electrical capacity, grid connection and commercial operation dates, and current status.
1 unit: 1 permanent shutdown.
| Unit | Type | Model | Net MWe | Construction | Grid | Commercial Op | Shutdown | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phenix | FBR | PH-250 | 130 | 1968-11-01 | 1973-12-13 | 1974-07-14 | 2010-02-01 | Permanent Shutdown |
Capacity, milestones and suppliers
| Unit | Design MWe | Gross MWe | Thermal MWt | First Criticality | Reactor Supplier | Turbine Supplier | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phenix | 233 | 142 | 345 | 1973-08-31 | CNIM-CONSTRUCTIONS NAVALES ET INDUSTRIELLES DE MEDITERRANEE CL - CREUSOT LOIRE , NEY - NEYRPIC | Compagnie Électro-Mécanique (CEM). It was acquired by Alsthom in 1983. |
Lifetime performance, through 2025
| Unit | Electricity Supplied | Load Factor | Energy Availability | Operating Factor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phenix | 24.4 TWh | 40.5% | 46.3% | 41.2% |
Operator: Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (80%) Electricité de France (20%)
Owner: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE
Source: IAEA Power Reactor Information System (PRIS), as of 2026-10-19.
Working Here
Per Diem Rates FY 2026
Per diem covers lodging and meals & incidental expenses (M&IE) for government and contractor travel near this facility. Rates are from the U.S. State Department foreign per diem tables for FY 2026.
$220
Lodging/Night
$132
M&IE/Day
$352
Total/Day
France: rate for locations the State Department does not list separately
U.S. Department of State foreign per diem, for U.S. government and contractor travel.
Photos
Photos of this facility from the NukeWorker photo gallery. Click the header or any photo to browse the full album.
Facility Map
Interactive satellite map showing the facility's geographic location. Marker color indicates current status: green for online, red for offline, orange for reduced power. Click the header to open in Google Maps satellite view.
44.1436, 4.70881
Location & Contact
Physical address, phone number, and website for this facility. Use the directions link to get driving directions via Google Maps.
Plant Facts
About This Site
Written by NukeWorker from public records: facts that do not change. Operator, status and capacity come from the live data elsewhere on this page. Sources: Wikipedia: Phénix; Wikipedia: Marcoule Nuclear Site.
Phénix was a prototype sodium-cooled fast breeder reactor of the pool type, built at the Marcoule nuclear site in the Gard department of southern France, near Codolet.
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Construction began in 1968, and the reactor was first connected to the French grid in December 1973. In the early 1990s, unexplained power transients caused repeated shutdowns, and the reactor was largely offline from 1991 to 1994. A refurbishment ran from 1994 to 2002, and the reactor was recertified in June 2003 at a reduced output of 130 MW electric. From 2004, its main use was research on transmuting nuclear waste. It was permanently shut down in February 2010.