The Cattenom nuclear power plant shuts down for one hundred days
As electricity demand fluctuates, EDF has opted for a temporary shutdown of certain reactors to adjust supply. In Cattenom, this translates to a 100-day shutdown of reactor number 1 from May 4, 2024, decision made without urgency or breakdown. Jérôme Le Saint, director of the plant, explains to France 3 Lorraine : “ It’s a question of timing “. The Tricastin power plants, in the lower Rhône valley, and Dampierre-en-Burly, in the Loiret department, are in the same case. This careful management helps avoid wasting valuable resources like uranium. We are currently consuming 20% less electricity compared to the same period in recent years: “ The period lends itself well, electricity consumption is moderate in spring. Wind turbines and solar panels produce and nuclear power is forced to reduce its production when other energies produce sufficiently,” always indicates Jérôme Le Saint.
Contrary to popular belief, the shutdown of a reactor does not mean a slowdown in on-site activities. “ For us, stopping means increased activity », affirms Jérôme Le Saint. This period will make it possible to carry out anticipated maintenance, in particular those planned for the ten-yearly inspection of reactor number 4. This illustrates an optimization of downtime to keep the plant in optimal condition, ready to respond quickly to future energy needs.
No impact on employment
The temporary shutdown of the reactor does not cause any concerns on the employment front. Staff remain engaged in various maintenance and optimization operations. “ There will be no partial unemployment », assures a member of the Social and Economic Committee (CSE), underlining the national management of energy production which allows this flexibility without consequences on jobs.
The restart of the reactor is planned for August 2024, but this downtime is far from being a dead time. It is seen as a great opportunity to strengthen the power plant’s capacity to respond effectively to variations in demand. Between 2022 and 2023, Reactor number 1 of the Cattenom nuclear power plant was shut down to undergo in-depth checks. Repairs were necessary following the detection of potential weld defects caused by stress corrosion.
