France’s Rassemblement National party backs Bitcoin mining with nuclear energy

France’s far-right political party, Rassemblement National (RN), is backing a proposal to mine Bitcoin using surplus electricity generated by the country's nuclear power plants.

The party, led by Marine Le Pen, plans to draft legislation to establish Bitcoin mining infrastructure at nuclear sites operated by the state energy company Électricité de France (EDF). This initiative aims to turn otherwise wasted nuclear energy into “secure and extremely profitable” digital assets, potentially generating significant revenue while helping stabilize the power grid by consuming excess electricity during periods of low demand. The project could also reuse the heat produced by mining operations for industrial or residential heating.

This shift in RN’s stance marks a notable change from Le Pen’s previous anti-crypto position. In 2016, she advocated banning cryptocurrencies, viewing them as a threat linked to powerful international financial interests, but by 2025, she has embraced Bitcoin mining as a strategic economic tool to enhance France’s energy use and sovereignty. RN lawmaker Aurélien Lopez-Liguori is leading the bill drafting, emphasizing the importance of eliminating energy waste and advancing a patriotic economic vision.

The planned mining pilot could run for five years at sites like the Flamanville nuclear plant, with estimates suggesting that using one gigawatt of surplus nuclear power might generate $100–150 million annually in Bitcoin.

While proponents highlight grid stability and economic gains, critics raise environmental concerns and political hurdles remain, as a similar proposal was rejected earlier in the year. Despite ideological divisions within RN regarding currency decentralization, the party is currently France’s most active in promoting cryptocurrency-related legislation.

This plan, if passed, would position France as a leader in combining nuclear energy and cryptocurrency mining at a national level, potentially setting a precedent for countries seeking to monetize surplus clean energy through blockchain technology.

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