Flamanville EPR: Restart after shutdown due to human error

After an automatic shutdown caused by a faulty configuration, the Flamanville EPR restarts and continues its ramp-up towards connection to the power grid.

Share:

The Flamanville EPR reactor in the Manche region of France has restarted after an automatic shutdown last Wednesday.
This incident, linked to human error during post-divergence tests, triggered an automatic shutdown order for the reactor.
EDF points out that the event was not due to a hardware problem, but to a misconfiguration of the electronic control systems.
This situation, while regrettable, is commonplace during the commissioning phase of nuclear reactors, when precise procedures are essential.
The French nuclear safety authority (ASN) confirms that the shutdown was the result of a failure to comply with operating procedures.
According to Karine Herviou of the Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), this type of incident shows that the safety devices are working as intended, stopping the reactor when an anomaly is detected.
The reactor is currently stabilized at 0.2% power, and teams are continuing the tests required to prepare it for connection to the power grid, expected by late autumn.

Technical advances and obstacles

The Flamanville EPR project, launched over fifteen years ago, is experiencing numerous delays and budget overruns.
Initially estimated at 3.3 billion euros, the cost has now been re-evaluated at 13.2 billion euros.
Twelve years behind schedule, the project faces recurring technical challenges.
Each ramp-up stage is accompanied by a series of checks and tests to ensure the reactor’s safety and efficiency.
EDF recognizes that technical contingencies, including automatic shutdowns, may still occur before full capacity is reached.
Reactors of this scale, especially those commissioned for the first time after several decades, often face unforeseen challenges requiring real-time technical adjustments.
The ramp-up procedure, segmented into stages, enables these challenges to be managed gradually and in a controlled manner.

France’s nuclear revival strategy

The restart of the Flamanville EPR is part of a wider context of increased nuclear power generation in France.
In 2022, President Emmanuel Macron announced the construction of six new EPR2-type reactors, an optimized version of the EPR, with the possibility of eight additional reactors in the future.
The aim of this strategy is to secure the country’s energy supply, while meeting the need to renew the existing nuclear fleet.
France’s nuclear fleet, with 56 reactors in operation, requires major investment to maintain its production capacity and anticipate the closure of older reactors.
The Flamanville EPR, with its planned capacity of 1,600 MW, represents a major strategic addition in this context.
Its capacity to generate electricity for around two million households makes it a key component of this revival.

Prospects for grid integration

The Flamanville reactor moves closer to grid connection.
The first divergence, carried out last Tuesday, marks the start of a step-by-step power ramp-up process.
For the moment, the aim is to reach 25% power, the threshold required to couple the reactor to the grid by late autumn.
However, previous experience suggests that adjustments and delays are still possible.
The Flamanville EPR is the fourth reactor of its type built anywhere in the world, and the most powerful in France.
Its start-up, despite its obstacles, remains a central element of the French energy landscape, and its success or failure will influence future nuclear projects.
The coming months will be crucial in assessing the viability of this type of reactor and the adjustments needed for future projects.

Bahrain has concluded a civil nuclear agreement with the United States and formalised a commitment of $17bn in public investments in the US market, further strengthening bilateral cooperation.
Kairos Power has installed the vessel for its third test prototype in Oak Ridge, aiming to validate manufacturing methods for its future Hermes reactor supported by the US Department of Energy.
London and Prague formalise a strategic partnership to develop the nuclear sector, focusing on small modular reactors and industrial cooperation on supply chains.
Experts have broadly approved France’s Cigéo deep nuclear waste repository project, highlighting technical uncertainties that demand stronger guarantees for long-term safety.
Uzbekistan advances its nuclear project by signing a protocol with Hungary for the supply and local assembly of dry cooling systems, expanding its industrial partnerships in the region.
Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe is asking the European Commission to review its $49bn investment to build Poland’s first nuclear power plant, a step required under the Euratom Treaty before any construction permit can be issued.
The International Atomic Energy Agency mission completed on July 11 warns that the National Nuclear Safety Administration must hire staff to oversee a fleet of 59 reactors in operation and 32 more under construction.
Energoatom signed strategic agreements with Westinghouse and Holtec at the Ukraine Recovery Conference, aiming to establish nuclear fuel production and small modular reactor capabilities in the country.
Tehran agrees to reopen its nuclear facilities to the IAEA, aiming to resume negotiations with Washington, while Moscow pushes for a “zero enrichment” agreement without getting involved in supervision.
TerraPower has selected three new American suppliers for its advanced Natrium nuclear reactor, confirming progress on the project located in Kemmerer, Wyoming, intended to replace a retiring coal-fired power plant.
Energy Exploration Technologies acquires Daytona Lithium, an Australian subsidiary of Pantera Lithium, for AUD40mn ($27mn), bringing its strategic lithium basin footprint in Smackover, USA to nearly 50,000 acres.
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission has identified no major barriers to licensing the ARC-100 reactor, announces ARC Clean Technology.
SE Ignalina, the Lithuanian nuclear operator, has signed a memorandum of understanding with French firm Newcleo to explore the integration of small modular reactors (SMRs) using lead-cooled fast reactor (LFR) technology in Lithuania.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi oversaw the signing of new agreements for the construction of the El Dabaa nuclear power plant, thus strengthening the strategic cooperation between Egypt and Russia.
Vistra Corp receives green light to extend Perry nuclear plant operations in Ohio by 20 years, securing regional electricity supply until 2046 and ensuring operational continuity for all its nuclear reactors in the United States.
EDF will hold a 12.5% stake in the Sizewell C nuclear project in the UK, a €1.3 billion investment announced during Emmanuel Macron’s official visit to London, confirming the strategic nuclear energy alignment between the two countries.
The French Cigéo project, designed to bury the most hazardous radioactive waste deep underground, obtains a crucial technical validation before its final authorization, expected by the end of 2027.
EDF confirms the continuation of its industrial project in Fessenheim for recycling very low-level radioactive metals, a first in France requiring specific regulatory authorizations, following a public debate concluded last February.
NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. formalizes its collaboration with UrAmerica Ltd. to strengthen Argentina’s uranium supply, aiming to secure future nuclear fuel supply chains for the U.S. market.
American companies SHINE Technologies and Standard Nuclear partner to recycle uranium and plutonium, supplying advanced fuel to the nuclear reactor sector and enhancing the national energy security of the United States.