The Flamanville EPR reconnected to the electrical network after three months’ maintenance – Liberation
THE Flamanville EPR nuclear reactor (Manche), at the end since February 15 for maintenance, was reconnected to the electrical network on Saturday evening, the restart operations having led two days before the date initially planned. « All the restarting and connection operations to the network have been made and this allowed a coupling on the network on Saturday », After several postponements for additional maintenance operations, EDF told AFP on Sunday.
The EDF site indicates that the available power is 90 MW (against 1,620 MW of maximum power) for 8:30 p.m. on Saturday and that « Essays with power variation » are planned until Wednesday. The group told AFP maintain its forecast planning, which plans to reach « In the summer of 2025 full power, 100% nominal power ».
The process for a first reactor start is « Long and extends over several months », So it is « Normal not to be currently at full power » since « The rise of the reactor is carried out by successive levels », added EDF.
EDF had warned that the rise of the 57th French nuclear reactor would be a progressive process, which could require a dozen scheduled maintenance stops and, in parallel, unforeseen operations. « More than 1,500 safety criteria are tested during a first start », he had indicated.
The 3rd generation reactor had already experienced two stop phases scheduled since its Connection to the network on December 21, 2024, carried out twelve years late. On February 15, the reactor was put to the stop in an unexpected manner for « Carry out an intervention on an equipment cooling circuit by sea water ». The judgment had been extended twice in February for maintenance interventions and additional settings.
According to EDF, « Interventions were carried out on a cooling circuit of seawater equipment, on the Turbo Alternator group (operations to take over the settings on three levels, parts bearing and guiding the rotors) and on the materials required for the continuation of the power of the reactor power operations ». Centerpiece in a nuclear power plant, the turbine transforms the thermal energy from steam generators into a mechanical energy which leads to the alternator to create electricity.
