EPR, to the dregs for EDF and Areva?

[Janic]

What I wanted to emphasize is that for once Janic has soured

janic is still well sourced, unlike Izentrop, which only knows pseudoscience. You see where this kind of talk leads!

[moinsdewatt]

EDF: a first EPR connected to the network (Taishan)

Jean-Noël Legalland, published the 29 / 06 / 2018 (Boursier.com)

Unit number 1 Taishan (China) has successfully established its connection to the network, a first for an EPR reactor in the world, said EDF in a statement. Taishan is the largest Sino-French cooperation project in the energy sector. It is operated by TNPJVC, a joint venture jointly created by CGN (51%), EDF (30%) and the Chinese electrician Yuedian (19%). The construction of the 1 unit of Taishan started in 2009, that of the 2 unit in 2010, respectively the third and fourth EPR reactors started in the world.

After completing all tests and preparatory work, the 1 unit of Taishan obtained, on 10 April 2018, the authorization of fuel loading by the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and the Environment and began the operation the same day. Reactor number 1 performed its first chain reaction on June 6. The June 29, alternator tests and network connection tests were successfully finalized.

After its first connection to the grid, the reactor will enter a period of gradual ramp-up tests. When the results of all the tests are satisfactory, the reactor will be tested in stable operation at full power. Since the beginning of construction, the Taishan project has been in keeping with the highest standards of safety and quality, monitored throughout the construction period.

Taishan's 1 unit was able to become the first EPR in the world to be connected to the network thanks to several factors: it benefited from the long-standing strategic partnership between EDF and CGN, the experience of both partners in the construction and operating nuclear power plants and relies on leading players in the nuclear industry in both countries. At the initial stage of the project, Taishan also benefited from the experience of the two European EPR projects (Flamanville and Olkiluoto) whose construction had been started earlier.

https://www.boursier.com/actions/actual ... 69274.html

[moinsdewatt]

China: the world's first EPR nuclear reactor enters service

By Challenges.fr the 14.12.2018

An EPR nuclear reactor built in Taishan, southern China, has been commissioned. A world first for this French technology of the third generation.

Successfully connected in June to the Chinese power grid, the first of two EPR reactors built in Taishan, Guangdong province, has since gone through a whole series of tests and simulations of incidents, and has been declared ready to enter Thursday evening, they said at a press conference.

EDF is a shareholder for 30% of the joint venture responsible for building and operating the reactor. The Chinese groups CGN and Yuedian are respectively shareholders with 51% and 19%.

The reactor "has met all the conditions for its commercial commissioning. This is a major milestone in EDF's cooperation with CGN (...) and demonstrates that EPR technology is a promise for the future for all nuclear technologies, "said Fabrice Fourcade, president of EDF China. "The success of the project shows the technological performance of the EPR. It is a completely reliable technology," added Guo Limin, general manager of the Franco-Chinese joint venture Taishan Nuclear Power Joint Venture Company.

The 1750 MW EPR is based on pressurized water reactor technology, the most widely used in the world. The chairman of the board of directors of the joint venture, Gao Ligang, for his part congratulated himself on "40 years of Franco-Chinese cooperation in electro-nuclear power", recalling that this cooperation had started with the Daya Bay plant, whose construction had started in 1985.
.......

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.challe ... 631837.amp

[moinsdewatt]

At the Hinkley Point C EPR, the concrete of the 3.2 main platform thickness meter begins to be poured:

Major concrete for at Hinkley Point C

11 December 2018

First concrete has been prepared for the 'common raft' of Hinkley Point C, on which the reactor building and safety systems will be constructed. The major milestone in the construction was announced by EDF Energy today.



The raft will be a 4500 tonne cross-shaped platform of nuclear grade concrete, reinforced with steel, which will support the reactor building and the fuel building and separate sections for electrical and safeguards systems.

EDF Energy said the first 2000 cubic meter portion was poured over 30 hours to a thickness of 3.2 meters. Four more will follow before the raft will be complete, scheduled in 2019. Consent for this work was granted by the Office for Nuclear Regulation on November, which judged EDF Energy and its contractors ready to proceed with this so-called hold point.

The raft is the second safety-related concrete item to be constructed at Hinkley Point C. In March 2017 EDF

Hinkley Point C is a new nuclear power plant in Somerset, England. With two EPR reactors designed by Framatome it is planned to supply about 7% of UK electricity, with the first reactor starting up in 2023. EDF Energy said yesterday's concrete for the final milestone for this year

http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Artic ... ey-Point-C

[moinsdewatt]

Fuel loading for Flamanville EPR still slated for fourth quarter 2019

Usine Nouvelle the 21 / 01 / 2019

EDF announced Monday January 21 new tests in February on the EPR Flamanville (Channel), where defective welds have required repairs, and confirmed the goal of loading the fuel in the plant in the last quarter of 2019.

EDF maintains its schedule on the Flamanville EPR. The French group had announced last summer 2019 that it had to repair welds, which has increased the cost of nuclear reactor 400 million euros and delayed its start of almost a year. While the fuel loading of the reactor was initially planned for the end of December 2018, the group had then estimated that the operation would take place in the fourth quarter 2019 and increased the construction cost target of the 10,5 project to 10,9 billion euros.

Tests mid-February.

"EDF is actively pursuing the action plan on the welds of the main secondary circuit announced on July 25," said EDF in a press release issued on Monday January 21, noting that "hot" tests will take place during the second fortnight of February.

EDF adds that it remains, with its partners, "fully mobilized to load the fuel in the fourth quarter of 2019 with a construction cost target for EDF at the commissioning date maintained at 10,9 billion euros" .

https://www.usinenouvelle.com/article/f ... re.N795424

[ENERC]

The start of the EPR nuclear reactor Flamanville (Manche) may be further delayed if EDF was forced to resume some difficult to access welds, warned this Tuesday January 29 the President of the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) , Bernard Doroszczuk.

[Article posted on 29.01 at 13h28, updated at 15h]

The possible recovery of welds Flamanville EPR reactor (Manche) difficult to reach would result in a further delay in the startup of the plant, said Tuesday, Jan. 29 January the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN).

The group announced last April "quality differences" on welds of the nuclear reactor under construction. They are located at the level of the pipes of the main secondary circuit, which connect the steam generator and the turbine which produces electricity. EDF estimated that their repair would de facto delay the commissioning of the EPR by almost a year (i.e. in the fourth quarter of 2019), and would increase the bill by 400 million euros.
EDF must justify itself on the non-recovery of eight welds

However, the group has not planned to repair eight of them which are difficult to access (located in the containment building), although they have deviations from its quality requirements and even a defect for the one of them. The electrician believes to be able to demonstrate that their mechanical properties are sufficient.

The nuclear gendarme is still awaiting detailed information in order to investigate the case. He will deliver his opinion "at the beginning of May", as confirmed by Bernard Doroszczuk, the new president of ASN, in an interview with Le Monde on Tuesday.

'The operator expects to demonstrate, on the basis of calculations and mechanical tests, that these eight welds have a sufficient level of quality. We will judge on documents (...) If, at the end of the investigation, ASN considered that the justifications provided by EDF (...) were not sufficient and that these eight welds had to be resumed, the deadlines currently envisaged by EDF for the commissioning of the EPR could not be respected. "

During the presentation of ASN's wishes to the press, he justified the delay by "long repair time in terms of material supply, qualification of welders and procedures".

"It takes a while and this time is not compatible with the delay that has been posted at this stage by EDF for the commissioning authorization. "

The state of the facilities, a topic of concern .....

https://www.latribune.fr/entreprises-fi ... 05535.html

[Christophe]

Waaw I'm almost moved!

[Remundo]

Astrid, in broad outline, we already knew how to do, it was Super Phénix.

but the French nuclear industry is slowly collapsing; we are unable to properly build the EPRs, and we abandon the fast neutron system ... we are not even working on the "molten salt reactors".

So certainly anti-nuclear or skeptical-nuclear can rejoice,

however, 3 / 4 from our electricity comes from fission, and the EnR capabilities are very far from covering such a load. We will extend the duration of existing plants, a bit blindly.

in fact, the French nuclear industry is a parable of the national situation: decadence and mistakes mixed with arrogance and self-satisfaction.

[Janic]

in fact, the French nuclear industry is a parable of the national situation: decadence and mistakes mixed with arrogance and self-satisfaction.

Absolutely, it's the sad reality. But when I argue that it's the same madness for the hidding, the conservatism ambiant wants to escape. So it's not even a parable of the national but global situation of madness and the absurdity of human behavior.

[Christophe]

The fisaco of the EPR explained by the CEO of EDF: