popular articles

France: EDF on the verge of another complicated year for nuclear power

The announcement in recent days by EDF of major "preventive" repairs on reactors augurs a still uncertain year 2023.

Please share:

The “remontada” of the French nuclear industry took place before Christmas, but not everything is settled: the announcement in the last few days by EDF of major “preventive” repairs on reactors augurs a year 2023 that is still uncertain for the security of the country’s electricity supply.

It all started with an EDF information note published, in all discretion. At a time when EDF is reconnecting many reactors just in time for winter, the group is announcing repairs to be carried out next year on six reactors exposed to corrosion risks. That is more than five months of immobilization each. “Obviously, it is a bad news, we are in a black series. At a time when electricity is expensive, the megawatt-hour that we do not produce is a terrible loss of earnings”, underlines Julien Teddé, general manager of the broker Opera Energy.

These announcements come at a time when in 2022 nuclear production will reach its lowest historical level, between 275 and 285 terawatt-hours (TWh), as a result of late maintenance since Covid-19, and the discovery at the end of 2021 of a corrosion problem on crucial piping, whose role is to inject streams of water to cool the core in case of an accident

Rather than checking them one by one, the group has decided to treat automatically before the end of 2023 its 16 most recent and powerful reactors, which by their design are very exposed to this risk of cracks. To date, ten are already repaired or in progress, and six will be repaired in 2023. Objective: to save time.

Caution

However, the restart schedules announced by EDF for 2022 have almost never been kept, foreshadowing delays in 2023 as well. “We must remain cautious because EDF has always been too optimistic about its work schedules,” notes Emeric de Vigan, vice president in charge of electricity markets at Kpler. “A hazard such as corrosion disrupts the maintenance schedule, so we can expect EDF to revise its schedule soon,” he continues.

Since last Friday, EDF has already announced that four reactors (out of 56) could not be reconnected before the end of this winter, three of them because of these same corrosion problems. As a result, the announcement of these longer-than-expected outages “risks derailing the planned 300-330 TWh production in 2023 by removing 28-32 TWh” in the first half of the year, estimates Patricio Alvarez, analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence. For the time being, EDF maintains its production target in 2023, with the obsession of “preserving the winter of 2023-2024”.

“300-330 TWh is still more than in 2022, but it is still very very low, far from the time when EDF produced 430 TWh as in 2005″, underlines Mr. Teddé. For all that, the risk of tensions on the electricity supply should not be worse next year than in 2022. “I am not arch-pessimistic, because there is a lot of gas that will continue to arrive thanks to American LNG, and the drop in electricity consumption is there. We will still have the same suspense but the situation should be better,” predicts Emeric de Vigan.

For its part, the high-voltage network operator RTE has provided reassuring analyses for the coming winter, although this will have to be confirmed in June in its forecast for the coming years.

“Tensions are not expected to disappear completely in the winter of 2023-24, but the situation will not be more critical than this winter of 2022-23, when the availability of the nuclear fleet was only 35 GW on December 1,” says Thomas Veyrenc, executive director of RTE. The immobilization of the six reactors for repair for five months in 2023, will concern “more specifically the spring and summer” and will be compensated by the return of those repaired at the moment. In fine, RTE foresees “a rise during the autumn to maximize production during the winter”. And the security of supply will not only depend on nuclear power: “if efforts to reduce energy consumption are maintained at their current level (-9%), the risk of tension will be reduced”, according to RTE, which also insists on accelerating the development of renewable energies.

Register free of charge for uninterrupted access.

Publicite

Recently published in

Japanese operator Tepco has completed the extraction of a second radioactive debris sample from the damaged Fukushima reactor, a critical technical step in a decommissioning project set to span several decades.
US-based enCore Energy continues to optimise its uranium project in Texas with a record installation rate and strengthened leadership team.
US-based enCore Energy continues to optimise its uranium project in Texas with a record installation rate and strengthened leadership team.
Framatome has commissioned a new facility in Romans-sur-Isère to secure long-term production of research reactor fuels and medical isotopes.
Framatome has commissioned a new facility in Romans-sur-Isère to secure long-term production of research reactor fuels and medical isotopes.
EDF reconnected the Flamanville EPR nuclear reactor to the power grid on 19 April, two days ahead of schedule, following a series of technical maintenance works and adjustments on critical components.
EDF reconnected the Flamanville EPR nuclear reactor to the power grid on 19 April, two days ahead of schedule, following a series of technical maintenance works and adjustments on critical components.
TerraPower has informed the UK regulator of its intention to submit the Natrium reactor design for evaluation under the Generic Design Assessment (GDA) process, the first step toward international deployment of this nuclear technology.
Framatome and Sizewell C have signed a contract for the supply, qualification, and pre-assembly of conventional instrumentation for the EPR reactors under construction at Sizewell, strengthening their collaboration on this large-scale project.
Framatome and Sizewell C have signed a contract for the supply, qualification, and pre-assembly of conventional instrumentation for the EPR reactors under construction at Sizewell, strengthening their collaboration on this large-scale project.
Uzbekistan has launched the construction of auxiliary buildings for its future modular nuclear reactor, the first export project for the Russian RITM-200N technology.
Uzbekistan has launched the construction of auxiliary buildings for its future modular nuclear reactor, the first export project for the Russian RITM-200N technology.
Holtec International has submitted its final proposal to Great British Nuclear as part of the competition to deploy several small modular reactors in the UK, joining GE Hitachi and Rolls-Royce SMR in the decisive phase.
Holtec International has submitted its final proposal to Great British Nuclear as part of the competition to deploy several small modular reactors in the UK, joining GE Hitachi and Rolls-Royce SMR in the decisive phase.
The restart of the Flamanville EPR reactor, initially scheduled for 17 April, has now been postponed to 21 April following extended maintenance operations, according to a statement from Électricité de France.
EDF announced on April 10 the extension of the shutdown of the Flamanville EPR nuclear reactor, initially scheduled to restart on April 12, due to new maintenance operations within its nuclear zone.
EDF announced on April 10 the extension of the shutdown of the Flamanville EPR nuclear reactor, initially scheduled to restart on April 12, due to new maintenance operations within its nuclear zone.
The French National Assembly has launched a mission to analyse nuclear pricing and anticipate the effects of the 2026 tariff reform amid heightened tensions over energy costs.
The French National Assembly has launched a mission to analyse nuclear pricing and anticipate the effects of the 2026 tariff reform amid heightened tensions over energy costs.
GE Hitachi and Rolls-Royce SMR have submitted their final offer as part of the modular reactor selection process led by Great British Nuclear in the United Kingdom.
GE Hitachi and Rolls-Royce SMR have submitted their final offer as part of the modular reactor selection process led by Great British Nuclear in the United Kingdom.
Washington and Abu Dhabi pave the way for renewed civil nuclear cooperation, aiming to strengthen Emirati technological and energy capabilities within a complex regional strategic context.
Duke Energy has submitted a request to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to extend the operation of its Robinson plant by 20 years, supporting energy stability in the Carolinas.
Duke Energy has submitted a request to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission to extend the operation of its Robinson plant by 20 years, supporting energy stability in the Carolinas.
India's largest power producer, NTPC, paves the way for small modular reactors to modernize its aging energy infrastructure and strengthen energy security through significant international partnerships.
India's largest power producer, NTPC, paves the way for small modular reactors to modernize its aging energy infrastructure and strengthen energy security through significant international partnerships.
EDF has delayed the restart of the Flamanville EPR to 11 April, citing a new maintenance operation, while keeping its 2025 production forecast unchanged.
EDF has delayed the restart of the Flamanville EPR to 11 April, citing a new maintenance operation, while keeping its 2025 production forecast unchanged.
EDF's plan to build a facility for recycling low-level radioactive metals in Fessenheim is raising significant concerns over health, economics and regulation.
enCore Energy extracted 50,000 pounds of uranium in March from its Alta Mesa site in Texas, while consolidating its operations through strategic leadership appointments.
enCore Energy extracted 50,000 pounds of uranium in March from its Alta Mesa site in Texas, while consolidating its operations through strategic leadership appointments.
Canada's nuclear regulator has issued Ontario Power Generation a construction licence for a BWRX-300 small modular reactor at the Darlington site, marking a key step in the province’s nuclear development.
Canada's nuclear regulator has issued Ontario Power Generation a construction licence for a BWRX-300 small modular reactor at the Darlington site, marking a key step in the province’s nuclear development.
Despite severe Western sanctions targeting Russian energy, Rosatom continues its international nuclear projects and maintains a steady flow of enriched uranium to Europe and the United States, thus supporting the Russian economy through an effective diversification strategy.
Despite severe Western sanctions targeting Russian energy, Rosatom continues its international nuclear projects and maintains a steady flow of enriched uranium to Europe and the United States, thus supporting the Russian economy through an effective diversification strategy.
Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe has signed a development agreement with the Westinghouse-Bechtel consortium, ensuring continuity of Poland's first nuclear plant project after a previous contract expired.
Fermi Energia has signed a strategic agreement with Samsung C&T to develop two small modular reactors in Estonia, targeting commercial operation by 2035.
Fermi Energia has signed a strategic agreement with Samsung C&T to develop two small modular reactors in Estonia, targeting commercial operation by 2035.
China National Nuclear Corporation mobilizes international investors and financial partners for a unique nuclear project combining two distinct technologies to simultaneously supply industrial heat and electricity, marking a new strategic step for China's energy industry.
China National Nuclear Corporation mobilizes international investors and financial partners for a unique nuclear project combining two distinct technologies to simultaneously supply industrial heat and electricity, marking a new strategic step for China's energy industry.
Framatome and TechnicAtome have acquired Segault, a strategic nuclear valve manufacturer, thereby blocking a takeover by the American firm Flowserve following opposition from the French government.
Framatome and TechnicAtome have acquired Segault, a strategic nuclear valve manufacturer, thereby blocking a takeover by the American firm Flowserve following opposition from the French government.

Advertising