Flamanville: Nuclear reactor almost ready to power France, 13.2 billion euros later

Électricité de France (EDF) announced that the Flamanville EPR nuclear power plant will not be connected to the electricity grid until autumn 2024.

That is three months later than recently planned, and it adds to an existing twelve-year delay, a report from Energy News reveals.

The French nuclear safety authority (ASN) has given the greenlight, but more tests are required on the “coupling” process to reach a power level of 25 percent. However, divergence operations, marking the start of controlled nuclear reactions, are set to start this week.

Flamanville’s delays and cost overruns

Divergence operations are likely to take about 10 hours, Régis Clément, Deputy Director of EDF’s Nuclear Generation Division, explained in a press statement. The reactor’s power capacity will also be upgraded in stages.

The delays are down to technical issues encountered at the Flamanville site. Construction problems have also plagued the project for years. These include cracks in the plant’s concrete slabs, welding defects, and anomalies in the steel of the reactor .

All of these delays mean that the cost of the Flamanville EPR has soared far past the initial estimate of 3.3 billion euros. These estimates were made when the project was first launched in 2007 under President Nicolas Sarkozy. The total costs now stand at 13.2 billion and it could go up to 19 billion.

Despite these delays and rising costs, EDF has revised its nuclear production forecast for 2024 upwards. According to an EDF statement , output will be within a range of 340 to 360 terawatt hours this year, which is up from the initial forecast of 315 to 345 TWh. This revision is largely due to the improved performance of other reactors that are already in service.

France’s nuclear strategy

The Flamanville EPR is key to France’s overall nuclear strategy for the future. President Emmanuel Macron recently ordered six EPR2 reactors, with an option for eight more. EPR reactors are pressurized systems designed for more efficiency and safety.

However, the Flamanville delays call future projects into question. As such, it is crucial for EDF that the nuclear reactor is connected to the grid as soon as possible.

The French government has faced some criticism for prioritizing nuclear power over wind and solar with its latest energy bill. However, it claims that nuclear power will help it achieve its climate goals. The country, like other EU nations, aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.