Where are the nuclear power stations in France?

THE distressing news from Japan about the dangerous levels of radiation from its stricken nuclear reactors has seen questions asked of France's own nuclear industry.

The domestic electricity industry in France is dominated by nuclear power with the country obtaining around 80% of its needs from nuclear reactors.

France turned to nuclear power in the 1950s and its first plant came online in 1973.

And the pace of building power plants across France has continued unabated, with 19 complexes dotted across the country that are host to 58 nuclear reactors.

The EDF website features a map showing the location of each one that stretch from Gravelines in the north, just 20km from Calais, to Golfech in the south west between Agen and Toulouse.

Both the official nuclear authority website Autorité de Sûreté Nucléaire has information on the incidents in Japan, while the independent monitoring group CRIIRAD is also keeping readers up to date.