President Emmanuel Macron announced the new reactor drive in November, saying the zero-emission technology was crucial for Europe in its bid to curb global warming, and for France to reduce its dependence on imported oil and natural gas.

The initial reactors will be so-called EPR2s, next-generation versions of the European Pressurised Reactors developed by the state-owned EDF, deputy minister Berangere Abba told lawmakers in the Senate.

"We imagine a schedule where submissions are filed around 2023, with operations beginning in 2035-2037," Abba said, adding that the exact number of new reactors would be announced "soon."

EDF for its part has offered to build six EPR2s for some 50 billion euros ($57 billion).

"In the meantime, EDF has filed security designs for the EPR2 with the ASN (nuclear security agency), which has validated the main outlines -- we have a framework and the feedback from the first EPRs," she said.

France gets the bulk of its electricity -- 70 percent -- from 56 reactors spread across 18 plants currently in operation.

Many are approaching their initial expected lifespan of 40 years, and EDF is now building its first EPR at Flamanville, along the English Channel in northwestern France.

But the project has sustained multiple delays and cost overruns since its launch in 2007, and is now expected to cost 12.4 billion euros compared with the original 3.3-billion-euro budget.

France is also being forced to restart some coal-fired plants in the coming weeks -- even though Macron pledged to progressively shut them down by the end of this year -- as several reactors are shut down for maintenance or technical problems.

The government has also said a coal plant at Cordemais in western France will be allowed to operate until 2024 while the Flamanville site is brought online.

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EDF - ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE