EPR (nuclear reactor)
The 1994 conceptual design had an electrical power output of 1450 MW, the same as the Framatome N4, but using Siemens Konvoi derived instrumentation and also including a new core catcher safety system.
[31] However, following financial difficulties at Areva and its merger with EDF, French Ecology Minister Nicolas Hulot said in January 2018, "for now [building a new model EPR] is neither a priority or a plan.
ASN highlighted that the EPR design basis assumption that primary and secondary cooling circuit piping would not fail may no longer be appropriate for the simplified EPR2, and requires additional safety demonstrations.
[55][56] In December 2006, TVO announced construction was about 18 months behind schedule so completion was now expected 2010–11, and there were reports that Areva was preparing to take a €500 million charge on its accounts for the delay.
[57][58] At the end of June 2007, it was reported that Säteilyturvakeskus (STUK), the Finnish Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, had found a number of safety-related design and manufacturing 'deficiencies'.
[69] In August 2009, Areva announced €550 million additional provisions for the build, taking station costs to €5.3 billion, and wiped out interim operating profits for the first half-year of 2009.
[93] In April 2008, the French nuclear safety authority (Autorité de sûreté nucléaire, ASN) reported that a quarter of the welds inspected in the secondary containment steel liner are not in accordance with norms, and that cracks have been found in the concrete base.
EDF stated that progress was being made on these issues, which were raised very early in construction;[95] however, on 21 May, ASN ordered a suspension of concrete pouring on the site.
[96] A month later, concreting work resumed after ASN accepted EDF's corrective action plan, which included external oversight checks.
[97] In May 2009, Stephen Thomas reported that after 18 months of construction, and after a series of quality control problems, the project is "more than 20 percent over budget and EDF is struggling to keep it on schedule".
[103] In April 2015, Areva informed the French nuclear regulator ASN that anomalies had been detected in the reactor vessel steel, causing "lower than expected mechanical toughness values".
[107] In April 2016, ASN announced that additional weak spots had been found in the reactor steel, and Areva and EDF responded that new tests would be conducted, though construction work would continue.
[115][116] Pierre Moscovici, president of the Court of Audit, gave a statement on 9 July 2020 concerning the release of the report on the delay costs of the Flamanville 3.
[118][119][115] In December 2022, EDF announced a further delay of at least six months with an estimated cost increase of €500 million due to more work to establish a new process for the stress relieving heat treatment of some welds close to sensitive equipment.
Other equipment suppliers for Unit 1 include Mitsubishi (reactor vessel); Škoda, a Czech company (core internals); and France’s Jeumont Electric, which along with DEC provided primary pumps.
This contract covers nuclear plant outage and maintenance work, including spare parts supply and engineering services for eight years.
[145] Hinkley Point C is a nuclear power station under construction with two EPR reactors and an electrical output of 3,200 MWe in Somerset, England.
[151] On 19 March 2013, the Development Consent Order granting planning permission for Hinkley Point C was given,[152] but negotiations with the UK government about electricity pricing, and project financing with private investors, still needed to be concluded.
On 21 September 2015, the British government announced it would provide a £2 billion support package for Hinkley Point C as Britain's first nuclear power station in 20 years.
[183] In October 2019, newspaper Le Monde reported that the French government had sent EDF a "mission letter" in which it asked the company to prepare to build a total of six EPR reactors across three sites in the next 15 years.
[42] In 2024, the French government was considering providing EDF with interest-free reactor development loans and a long-term electricity price guarantee to support EPR2 builds.
[189][190] In February 2009, the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) signed a memorandum of understanding with Areva to set up two EPR reactors at Jaitapur in Maharashtra.
[191] In January 2016, during French president François Hollande's state visit to India a joint statement with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was issued.
[193][194] In April 2021, EDF submitted to NPCIL an offer to develop six EPR reactors at the Jaitapur site, with a combined installed capacity of 9.6 GWe.
[199] In October 2012, Czech utility company ČEZ announced that Areva was eliminated from a tender for the construction of two reactors for Temelín nuclear plant.
[207] In May 2022, after significant delays in the design and licensing phase of the project and in light of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Fennovoima cancelled the contract with Rosatom to build the power plant.
[209] Following this, on 3 August 2009, EDF and Enel established a joint venture, Sviluppo Nucleare Italia, to study the feasibility of building at least four EPRs.
[212] In March 2008, French president Nicolas Sarkozy reached an agreement with the UAE cabinet that "outlines a cooperation framework for the assessment and possible use of nuclear energy for peaceful ends".
[215] After losing this order, Areva considered whether it should reintroduce the marketing of a smaller and simpler second-generation reactor design alongside the EPR, for countries that are new to nuclear power.
[219] UniStar, Amarillo Power, PPL Corp and AmerenUE announced plans to file a Combined Construction and Operating License application in 2008 for the US-EPR at its Callaway station.
