The Golfech nuclear power plant in Tarn-et-Garonne, March 16, 2015 (AFP/Archives/PASCAL PAVANI)
The Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) on Wednesday validated EDF’s control strategy concerning the corrosion problems encountered on certain reactors in its French fleet.
EDF plans to check all of its reactors by 2025 by ultrasound to look for any traces of this problem which has led to the shutdown of 12 out of 56 reactors.
The group must control the most sensitive areas of the 1,450 MW reactors and some of the 1,300 MW reactors as a priority.
“ASN considers that EDF’s strategy is appropriate given the knowledge acquired on the phenomenon and the associated safety issues”, indicates the Authority in a press release.
“However, with regard to reactor 2 of the Belleville nuclear power plant, ASN considers that the inspection of this reactor scheduled for 2024 is too late”, she specifies.
ASN considers that knowledge of the phenomenon known as “corrosion under stress” is “still evolving” and that “the inspection program will have to be adapted if the inspections or analyzes reveal new elements”.
This problem of corrosion on certain circuits weighs down the prospects for nuclear electricity production and financial results this year for EDF, whose government has planned 100% renationalisation.
The case has also raised concerns for France’s electricity supply next winter.
© 2022 AFP
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