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Released July 24, 2013 | GALWAY, IRELAND
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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland) - France's oldest nuclear power plant, Fessenheim, will be shut down by the end of 2016 according to the country's environment minister, Philippe Martin.
The announcement comes just two months after Fessenheim was given the green light to operate for another 10 years by the country's nuclear safety authority, Autorite De Surete Nucleaire (ASN) (Paris, France). For additional information, see May 16, 2013, article - Oldest French Nuclear Plant Gets 10 More Years.
Speaking to French media, Martin said: "The commitments on nuclear [made by President]Francois Hollande will be upheld in his five-year period. I have a warrant. Fessenheim will close by 31 December 2016."
Prior to being elected, President Hollande promised to close Fessenheim by 2016, as part of his election promises to reduce the country's reliance on nuclear power. Hollande wants to reduce the proportion of nuclear power in the electricity mix from 75% to 50%, by closing 24 plants in the next 13 years.
Fesenheim is owned and operated by Electricite de France S.A. (EPA:EDF) (EDF) (Paris, France), which owns and operates all 58 nuclear reactors in the country.
The plant was commissioned in 1977 and its two pressurised water reactors have a generating capacity of 900-megawatts (MW) each. It employs over 770 people.
In recent weeks an essential safety project to upgrade the concrete basemat under the Fessenheim 1 reactor was completed, allowing it to continue producing electricity. The work was carried out following instructions by the nuclear safety authority, ASN, based on European Union stress tests completed in response to the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan.
In late 2011, EDF awarded a massive 600 million ($796 million) contract to overhaul the monitoring and control systems at 20 of its nuclear reactors. For additional information, see December 12, 2011, article - EDF to Overhaul Safety Systems at 20 Nuclear Reactors.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, and eight offices outside of North America, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.
The announcement comes just two months after Fessenheim was given the green light to operate for another 10 years by the country's nuclear safety authority, Autorite De Surete Nucleaire (ASN) (Paris, France). For additional information, see May 16, 2013, article - Oldest French Nuclear Plant Gets 10 More Years.
Speaking to French media, Martin said: "The commitments on nuclear [made by President]Francois Hollande will be upheld in his five-year period. I have a warrant. Fessenheim will close by 31 December 2016."
Prior to being elected, President Hollande promised to close Fessenheim by 2016, as part of his election promises to reduce the country's reliance on nuclear power. Hollande wants to reduce the proportion of nuclear power in the electricity mix from 75% to 50%, by closing 24 plants in the next 13 years.
Fesenheim is owned and operated by Electricite de France S.A. (EPA:EDF) (EDF) (Paris, France), which owns and operates all 58 nuclear reactors in the country.
The plant was commissioned in 1977 and its two pressurised water reactors have a generating capacity of 900-megawatts (MW) each. It employs over 770 people.
In recent weeks an essential safety project to upgrade the concrete basemat under the Fessenheim 1 reactor was completed, allowing it to continue producing electricity. The work was carried out following instructions by the nuclear safety authority, ASN, based on European Union stress tests completed in response to the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan.
In late 2011, EDF awarded a massive 600 million ($796 million) contract to overhaul the monitoring and control systems at 20 of its nuclear reactors. For additional information, see December 12, 2011, article - EDF to Overhaul Safety Systems at 20 Nuclear Reactors.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, and eight offices outside of North America, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.
