Launch of public debate on the construction of two EPR reactors

The public debate on the construction of two EPR nuclear reactors in Gravelines, near Dunkirk (North), in a context of revival of nuclear power, will be held from September 17 to January 17, announced Tuesday the National Commission for Public Debate (CNDP), which hopes for a «forte participation».

This debate is the second organized by the CNDP after that of 2022-2023 on the project of a first pair of reactors in Penly (Seine-Maritime) and more generally on the revival of the atom in France desired by Emmanuel Macron. In February 2022, the president had announced that he wanted to build six new-generation pressurized water nuclear reactors, with an option for eight others. The sites selected for the first three pairs are Penly, Gravelines and Bugey (Ain), with commissioning by 2035 for the first pair in Normandy.

Four-month debate

Following on from the first debate, this second part will take place over four months, and will be structured around ten main themes. The debate will be held during public meetings, notably in Gravelines, Dunkirk, Calais and in Belgium – at the request of the Belgian authorities – but also online via a participatory platform. The objective is to:“reach the maximum number of people”stressed the president of the CNDP Marc Papinutti during a presentation to the press.

Schedule, design and cost of EPR2, environmental impact, employment, living environment, safety… “We tried to imagine all the subjects”also indicated Luc Marin, president of the Gravelines debate. According to him, “There are concerns about nuclear risk, radioactivity, waste (…) more broadly about the environment and marine submersion”.

The public is invited to ask questions to the project stakeholders and to make suggestions that could feed into the final report of the CNDP recommendations to the project stakeholders (EDF and the electricity transmission manager RTE), explains the CNDP. In Gravelines, the EDF project provides for the construction of two EPR reactors of 1600 MW each on a site already comprising six 900 MW reactors, a large-scale project for the Dunkirk region which is seeking to decarbonise its industry dependent on fossil fuels.

This public debate is launched a few days after the start of the nuclear reaction at the EPR in Flamanville in the Manche, a prelude to its connection to the electricity grid. This project is twelve years behind schedule due to numerous technical setbacks that have caused the bill to explode, now estimated at 13.2 billion euros by EDF, four times the initial estimate of 3.3 billion.

The largest nuclear power plant in France and Western Europe, Gravelines ensures “today 70% of the electricity needs of Hauts-de-France”recalls the CNDP. EDF plans to commission the first EPR reactor in 2038. The second debate opens even though the CNDP indicated in an opinion on September 4 that it is still in “awaiting full and reasoned responses from the project owners and the State on the new nuclear program and the EPR2 Penly project”In her opinion, she also called on the government to clarify its roadmap setting out the country’s future energy choices – and therefore the share between nuclear and renewables. This bill was initially planned for summer 2023.