The Flamanville EPR reactor was linked to the electrical energy community, after seventeen years of development | EUROtoday

At the tip of seventeen years of development, and twelve years late, the EPR nuclear reactor at Flamanville, in La Manche, essentially the most highly effective in France, was linked on Saturday, December 21, to the nationwide electrical energy community, introduced the EDF group. This first connection of a brand new reactor in France since 1999 was initially deliberate for Friday morning, however had been postponed by a number of hours.

“Saturday December 21, 2024 at 11:48 a.m., the Flamanville EPR was connected to the French electricity network and began to produce its first electrons. This is a historic event for the entire French nuclear industry. The last start-up of a reactor in France dates back to that of Civaux 2, twenty-five years ago”introduced EDF CEO Luc Rémont on his LinkedIn account.

“Great moment for the country. One of the most powerful nuclear reactors in the world, the Flamanville EPR, has just been connected to the electricity grid. immediately congratulated Emmanuel Macron, in a message also posted on the professional social network. Before considering that this is an example which shows that “re-industrializing to produce low-carbon energy is French ecology”and that the placing into operation of this newest era EPR “strengthens our competitiveness and protects the climate”.

After the gas loading carried out in May and the primary nuclear response inside the reactor firstly of September, the coupling to the community is the third stage of entry into operation of Flamanville 3, a brand new era pressurized water reactor, which should provide electrical energy roughly two million households.

The ultimate invoice for the development of the brand new era nuclear reactor was multiplied by at the very least six in comparison with the estimated price, resulting from defects which delayed its commissioning, reaching a price of greater than 19 billion euros.