Connection to the electricity network of the EPR reactor in Flamanville (Manche) is expected for Friday, EDF assured Wednesday, December 18. An announcement made in a message to the energy market, which will be served by this new generation reactor.
“The first coupling to the network of the Flamanville 3 EPR reactor is planned for December 20, 2024”affirmed EDF, which specifies that the operation of the reactor “will be marked by different power levels, until summer 2025, which will conclude the testing phase”.
The start-up of the new generation nuclear reactor is twelve years behind the initial schedule due to numerous technical setbacks which have caused the bill to explode, now estimated at 13.2 billion euros by EDF, or four times the initial estimate for 3.3 billion.
Started on September 3, the start-up of the reactor was interrupted the next day due to a “automatic shutdown”before resuming a few days later.
This start-up marked the beginning of its gradual increase in power until reaching the 25% power level allowing the reactor to be connected to the electricity network. This coupling to the network was initially planned before the end of summer 2024.
First EPR in France, 4th in the world
The EPR, a new generation pressurized water reactor, is the 4th of this type installed in the world, the 57th reactor in the French nuclear fleet, and the most powerful in the country (1,600 MW). Ultimately, it should supply electricity to around 2 million homes.
While Emmanuel Macron has decided to relaunch nuclear power, by ordering six EPR2 reactors (and eight additional ones as an option) from the energy company, the start-up of the Flamanville EPR, even if it was decided well before, takes on a highly symbolic dimension.
In the existing nuclear fleet, EDF has indeed turned the page on the stress corrosion crisis of 2022, which caused nuclear production to plummet due to checks or repairs to be carried out in numerous reactors.
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