After experiencing a “auto shut off” On Wednesday 7 September, the European Pressurised Reactor (EPR) in Flamanville (Manche) was brought back online, allowing it to resume the slow process of increasing power to lead to electricity production.
“The Flamanville 3 reactor has been bypassed and stabilized at 0.2% power since 8:21 am”a spokesman for the group told Agence France-Presse (AFP). “divergence” is the technical term for nuclear reaction. “The teams are resuming the activities and tests necessary to prepare for docking”that is, the connection to the electrical grid, “which will take place in late autumn”This spokesman also stated.
The EPR, the subject of a project plagued by numerous delays, reached an important milestone on Tuesday with the achievement of the first nuclear fission. But several stages and a gradual increase in power are still planned before it can actually supply electricity to the grid, which could entail technical risks.
On Wednesday I had experienced a “auto shut off” the day after its start. “The incident is linked to a poor configuration of the facility during the tests carried out after the divergence, which generated alarms and activated the order to automatically shut down the reactor. The situation is not linked to any material problem at the facility, nor to the control of the nuclear reaction.”Electricité de France (EDF) teams explained on Saturday.
The Nuclear Safety Authority, for its part, explained to AFP that the closure was due to a “human error” in the configuration of electronic systems, not having the operating mode “has not been strictly respected”. this is not “it is not an anomaly of material origin”added Karine Herviou, Deputy Director General of the Institute for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety. “This is something completely classic that can happen and that shows that the protection system is doing its job well, since as soon as there is something that has not been done correctly, the system stops.”he explained to AFP.
“A complex industrial process”
The start-up of this reactor is twelve years behind schedule due to numerous technical problems that have increased the bill, currently estimated at 13.2 billion euros by EDF, i.e. four times the initial estimate of 3.3 billion.
“Starting the EPR is a long and complex process (…). Activation of further automatic shutdowns and the emergence of hazards remain likely until full reactor power is reached.according to EDF. “It is a complex industrial process, so there will inevitably be dangers, it is inevitable. So, maybe not all of them will lead to the reactor shutting down automatically, but it can happen.”underline Mme Herviou, remembering that “It has been twenty-five years since EDF started up a reactor”.
The reactor’s start-up, which took place on Tuesday, marks the beginning of its phased power increase. It will have to reach 25% capacity to be connected to the grid, a milestone now expected by the end of autumn, while EDF had initially hoped to reach it by the end of summer.
The EPR, a new generation pressurized water reactor, is the fourth of its kind installed in the world, the 57thmy reactor in the French nuclear fleet and the most powerful in the country (1,600 MW). It should ultimately supply electricity to around two million homes.
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In France, President Emmanuel Macron decided to relaunch nuclear energy by ordering six EPR2 reactors, a version “optimized” of the EPR – and eight additional optional ones.
