After a 12-year delay, EDF has finally received approval from the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) to commission its new EPR nuclear reactor in Flamanville, Normandy.
This authorization will allow EDF to load nuclear fuel into the reactor and proceed with startup tests and operation of the reactor, which will be the most powerful in the French nuclear fleet.
The gradual launch of electricity production is scheduled for the summer, with a total bill now estimated at 13.2 billion euros, four times the initial estimate. President Emmanuel Macron is expected to mark the occasion with a visit planned for mid-May to Flamanville.
This step is a major milestone for EDF and the entire French nuclear industry, aiming to turn the page on a laborious 17-year project, marked by numerous problems and colossal cost overruns.
The European Pressurized Reactor (EPR) was designed to revitalize nuclear power in Europe after the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, promising increased safety and power. However, the Flamanville project has faced a series of setbacks, such as cracks in the concrete base, anomalies in the steel of the vessel, and welding defects.
The difficulties have often been attributed to a form of “unlearning” within the nuclear industry after a long period without nuclear projects in the 1990s-2000s, as well as insufficiently developed studies, governance issues, quality problems, and a continuously evolving regulatory environment.
EDF can now begin loading the 241 uranium assemblies into the reactor core, but connection to the electrical grid will only occur several months later, once the reactor has reached 25% of its power. It is not until the end of the year that the reactor is expected to deliver electricity at 100% of its capacity.
EDF will still need to seek three opinions from the ASN before starting the nuclear reaction, at the 25% power level and then at 80%. The reactor will also need to be shut down in 2026 for a maintenance visit to replace the defective lid of the vessel.
The ASN states that many of the 996 contributions received during the public consultation held from March 27 to April 17 on the website were against commissioning the reactor. However, the Nuclear Safety Authority assures that it has taken into account public concerns by introducing an additional requirement for EDF to inform the public monthly about the progress of its tests.
Source: ASN