France:The Chooz nuclear power plant has fully restarted after a long shutdown

Reactor No. 1 at the Chooz nuclear power plant restarted after more than 500 days of shutdown due to corrosion problems, followed by Reactor No. 2 a month later. Currently, 20 out of 56 reactors are still shut down for maintenance visits or treatment of cracks.

Share:

Reactor No. 1 of the Chooz nuclear power plant, one of the first concerned by the discovery of corrosion problems, restarted on Wednesday night, after more than 500 days of shutdown and almost a month after reactor No. 2.

Stopped since December 18, 2021, the reactor No. 1 of this plant was reconnected to the network Wednesday evening and has gradually entered into production, said a spokesman for EDF, contacted by AFP. “The rise to 100% power will last at least 48 hours,” he said. With a capacity of 1,450 MW each, the two reactors, both commissioned in 2000, are among the most recent and most powerful of EDF’s 56 nuclear power plants.

These two units had to be shut down shortly after the detection in October 2021, during a ten-yearly inspection, of micro-cracks in a portion of the emergency piping of the Civaux plant, the last of the French nuclear fleet to be commissioned, in 2002. The design of the reactors of both plants is identical. The risk of cracks was then identified on other sites, leading EDF to extend controls and shutdowns, resulting in a record number of reactors shut down last winter and a nuclear production level at its lowest.

EDF’s expert assessments had revealed the presence of an unprecedented phenomenon of stress corrosion on emergency pipes that are crucial for the cooling of the power plants, mainly on the most recent and most powerful reactors, those of 1,300 and 1,450 MW. “A total of 60.5 linear meters of piping have been replaced and inspected on the two Chooz reactors, including 33 meters on reactor No. 1,” EDF management said. As of May 11, 20 out of 56 reactors were still shut down, due to scheduled maintenance visits or the continuation of the crack treatment program.

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.
The American Bureau of Shipping and two nuclear sector companies are studying the potential deployment of floating nuclear power plants to meet the energy needs of island and coastal regions in the Mediterranean, notably via electricity and desalination.
Lithuania establishes a working group tasked with assessing the feasibility of modular nuclear reactors to meet electricity demand estimated at 74 TWh by 2050.
Framatome has secured two significant contracts from Electrabel covering modernisation and technical support for the Tihange 3 and Doel 4 nuclear reactors, as part of their extension agreed upon between Engie and the Belgian government.
Cairo is stepping up connection works for the planned 4,800 MW El-Dabaa nuclear plant, developed with Rosatom, to feed the grid from 2026 with output equal to about seven % of national electricity.
EDF extends Flamanville EPR's shutdown to August 13 to conduct technical checks on three valves of the reactor's primary circuit, initially scheduled to resume production this week.
The US Department of Energy has selected Westinghouse and Radiant Nuclear to conduct the first nuclear microreactor tests at the DOME experimental centre located in Idaho, with operational start expected in spring 2026.
GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy and Fortum announce partnership aimed at preparing for the potential deployment of small modular reactors in Finland and Sweden, with commissioning scheduled for the 2030s.
Energy Fuels Inc. announced record production of 638,700 pounds of uranium during the second quarter of 2025 at its Pinyon Plain mine in Arizona, significantly surpassing initial site performance forecasts.
Argentina and Peru have signed an agreement expanding their scientific and technological cooperation in the civil nuclear field, including joint research projects and specialised training programmes for future development.
After several decades without funding nuclear projects, the World Bank has formed a strategic partnership with the IAEA to provide technical and financial support to countries integrating nuclear energy into their energy strategies.
South Korea's Nuclear Safety and Security Commission officially validates the decommissioning of reactor number one at the Kori plant, initiating an unprecedented project for the national industry scheduled to last until 2037.
Uranium producer enCore Energy surpasses three thousand pounds per day at its Alta Mesa ISR complex and sees three new Texas laws as a strong signal for faster nuclear production permits.