French Regulator Greenlights EDF for Flamanville EPR Startup

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas--French utility Electricite de France (EDF) (Paris, France) has received approval from the French nuclear safety authority Autorité de sûreté nucléaire (ASN) to initiate the startup process for its 1.6-gigawatt (GW), third-generation nuclear reactor--the European Pressurized Reactor (EPR)--located at Flamanville in north-western France. The authorization permits EDF to load nuclear fuel into the reactor, conduct startup tests, and subsequently operate the reactor.

Despite setbacks, including a 12-year delay and cost overruns amounting to four times the initial budget, EDF anticipates connecting the Flamanville EPR to the national grid by summer, with full power expected to be achieved by year-end. However, ongoing ramp-up activities will necessitate further approvals from ASN, particularly at 25% and 80% of the reactor's full capacity. Looking ahead, EDF intends to undertake comprehensive maintenance checks in 2026, including the replacement of a faulty vessel cover, which will require a year-long shutdown of the reactor.

Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Project and Plant databases can click here to read more information on the Flamanville EPR project and click here for a related plant profile.

Industrial Info is tracking 29 capital-spending nuclear-power projects in France, worth US$113.4 billion. Subscribers can click here for a full list.

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