EDF to Overhaul Safety Systems at 20 Nuclear Reactors

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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--The safety of France's nuclear fleet is at the centre of this week's award of a €600 million ($796 million) contract to overhaul the monitoring and control systems at 20 of its nuclear reactors.

The massive contract has been awarded by French energy utility Electricite de France S.A. (EPA:EDF) (EDF) (Paris, France) to fellow French nuclear reactor manufacturer Areva SA (EPA:CEI) (Paris, France). The work will be carried out across its fleet of 1,300-megawatt (MW) reactors, which are located at eight nuclear power plants: Paluel, Flamanville, Saint-Alban, Cattenom, Belleville, Nogent sur Seine, Golfech and Penly. Work is expected to start in 2015, in order to coincide with the third of the 10-yearly reactor inspections.

EDF said that the 1,300 MW reactor monitoring and control system was the first in the world to bring digital technology to nuclear power plants. It was developed by Areva in the 1980's and first installed at a reactor at the Paluel plant in 1984. The digitised system also includes the power and protection control system for the reactor core, which oversees fuel loading.

EDF's announcement comes just weeks after the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN), which gave the all clear to the country's 58 nuclear reactors, warned that safety improvements would have to be carried out to avoid a disaster similar to the one that took place at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan, earlier this year. For additional information see November 22, 2011, article - France Must Improve Nuclear Reactor Safety.

The investment by EDF also comes at a politically uncertain time in France as last month saw both of the country's main opposition parties form an alliance that will see them shutting down 24 of the country's oldest reactors by 2025 if they win next year's presidential election. This includes the immediate shutdown of the oldest nuclear plant at Fessenheim.

While the Green Party wants all 58 reactors shut down eventually, the larger partner in the alliance, the Socialist Party, has said it wants France's reliance on nuclear power reduced to 50% by 2025. At the moment, nuclear power accounts for around 78% of France's electricity, making it the largest nuclear power nation in Europe by far.

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