Using water from the North Sea as coolant , the Gravelines power plant is situated 12 miles from Dunkerque . Providing employment for over 1,600 people , it is the largest nuclear power station in Western Europe and holds the record for being the first station to generate over 1,000TWhs of electricity . Owned by Electricite de France ( EDF ), the plant has a 5,460MW capacity derived from six 910MW reactors . The reactors were constructed in batches of two in 1980 , 1981 and 1985 .

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