French utility EDF has announced a further one-year delay in the construction schedule for the Flamanville 3 EPR nuclear power plant. The plant, which began construction in 2005, is now expected to start up in 2017.
EDF said that the revisions to the schedule were the result of 'difficulties' encountered by plant supplier AREVA related to the delivery of equipment, including the 'lid' and reactor vessel internals and the implementation of regulations for nuclear pressure equipment.
The steam supply system for the Flamanville EPR is built in successive assembly stages, and is a 'first-of-a-kind,' project for AREVA and its contractors. The French nuclear regulator ASN and various approved organisations are responsible for reviewing the technical documentation for the assembly operations and monitoring the nuclear pressure equipment assembly/manufacturing on the site. The regulator said that further to initial inspections carried out on EDF and AREVA between February and July 2014, the assembly operations involving the large components of the reactor coolant system have been carried out in 'satisfactory conditions'. They will be gradually extended, after ASN has checked that the experience acquired during the initial activities carried out has been taken into account.
EDF says it remains committed to building new nuclear power plants.
"In spite of these construction contingencies, EDF reaffirms its commitment to New Nuclear in France, China and the United-Kingdom," a spokesman said.
Despite the delay, EDF will still need to start shutting down some nuclear capacity in 2015. The delay has given rise to some rumours that EDF might cancel closure of the Fessenheim nuclear plant, which is close to the German border and first on the list, if a new centre-right government comes to power in May 2017 and repeals the energy transition law that caps nuclear capacity at 63.2 GW.
But Jean-Michel Malerba, who is in charge of closing the 1600-MW reactor, stated via news agency Reuters that EDF will still have to request a production permit for Flamanville some 18 months before start-up and will also have to request a production withdrawal permit for the equivalent capacity in 2015. "EDF will have to ask for a production authorisation for Flamanville in 2015, even if the start-up date is a bit delayed, and on that occasion they will have to declare which reactors they want to shut to obtain that authorisation," he said.
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