These repairs should allow EDF to respect the European pressurized nuclear reactor construction schedule, which has already experienced significant delays.
Le Monde with AFP
The Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) found, Wednesday, October 20, “acceptable” the solution proposed by EDF to repair the latest problem on the European pressurized nuclear reactor (EPR) site of Flamanville (Channel) , that of the welds called “querms”, while requesting additional elements.
The nuclear gendarme explains not to oppose the installation of a holding collar on these piping connections suffering from a “design gap”, thus avoiding more complex repairs that would have threatened the startup of this new generation reactor end 2022, after already ten years late.
The ASN “considers that the solution proposed by EDF is acceptable in its principle” but “definitely pronounced when EDF will have brought the expected elements concerning the demonstration of the efficiency of the device, the design requirements, of manufacture and exploitation applicable to necklaces and the quality of the implantation welds around which these necklaces will be mounted “, does it detail in a note.
Three possibly repair options
“we have no object objection to the proposed solution, but it remains on the side of EDF to finalize the design of this solution and to solicit the ASN on the basis of a technical file so that ‘We can conclude definitively, “said France-Press (AFP) Julien Collet, Deputy Director General of the ASN.
The ASN had made public in March a design gap reported by EDF regarding three stitching of the main primary circuit – in which water circulates which cools the reactor core – from the EPR under construction. The stitching corresponds to the part of a piping that connects it to another. Three options were: consolidating stitching with holding clamps, cutting and replacing the sections in question and repair welds. Only the first allowed to respect the calendar, which has already experienced significant delays.
“EDF does not mention the need to review its planning for the establishment of this” collar, while the other solutions would have taken “several years”, considers Mr. Collet.
Flamanville’s EPR, whose edification began in December 2007, was to be commissioned in 2012, but its shipyard was affected by many setbacks and costs.