France's Flamanville 3 Nuclear Reactor Achieves 100% Power After Years of Delays

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--France's long-delayed Flamanville 3 nuclear reactor has reached full power for the first time, marking a major milestone for the country's nuclear program. State-owned utility Électricité de France S.A. (EDF) (Paris) confirmed that on December 14, the European Pressurized Reactor (EPR) achieved 100% power output, generating 1,669 megawatts (MW), shortly after receiving regulatory approval from the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Authority (ASNR).

Flamanville 3 is the first new nuclear reactor to start up in France in 25 years. It was connected to the national grid in December 2024, around 12 years later than initially planned. The project has also faced significant cost overruns, with estimates rising from €3.3 billion (US$3.9 billion) to nearly €23.7 billion (US$27.8 billion), highlighting the financial and technical challenges associated with large nuclear projects. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Plant Database can view the plant profile here.

Reaching full power allows EDF to carry out final performance tests, verify equipment reliability and complete commissioning activities. In the coming weeks, power levels will vary to support testing and scheduled maintenance.

Industrial Info is tracking 36 nuclear capital projects, worth US$104.64 billion, in France. Subscribers can view the list of detailed project reports.

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