France, new Epr nuclear reactor starts production: here are the costs and numbers

The Epr nuclear reactor at Flamanville (Manche), the most powerful in France, was connected to the national grid on Saturday, after 17 years of construction, a 12-year delay and a cost of around 13 billion euros, four times the initial budget. Making the plant's connection official was Edf's number one, Luc Remont, on Linkedin. "On Saturday 21 December 2024 at 11:48am, the Flamanville Epr connected to the French electricity grid and started producing its first electrons. This is a historic event for the entire French nuclear industry. The last time a reactor was commissioned in France was at Civaux 2, 25 years ago'.

For France, in search of a new energy mix and a complicated balance due to the boom in renewables, this is no small step. So much so that French President Emmanuel Macron speaks of a 'great moment' that 'strengthens our competitiveness and protects the climate'.

The Epr Flamanville 3 is the largest nuclear reactor in France with 1.6 gigawatts (GW) of power, and is one of the largest in the world, together with the 1.75 GW Taishan reactor in China, which is based on a similar design, and the Olkiluoto reactor in Finland. It is the first reactor connected to the grid since Civaux 2 in 1999, but was commissioned during a period of weak consumption.

According to the coordinates provided by the same group, after this initial coupling, in accordance with the start-up procedure, the testing and connection and disconnection phases will continue for several months, under the control of the Asn (the Nuclear Safety Authority), until the reactor reaches 100% power. "The start-up of a reactor is a long and complex operation. It requires the full mobilisation of teams and is carried out at every stage with the highest level of safety and industrial reliability,' the French giant clarified in a note. The volume of electricity produced from the first coupling until the first shutdown for scheduled maintenance and fuel reloading (the so-called inspection visit) is estimated at around 14 14 terawatt hours.

Edf is planning to build six more new reactors to fulfil a promise made in 2022 by President Emmanuel Macron as part of the country's energy transition plans, although doubts remain about the financing and timing of the new projects given the long lead times associated with the start-up of the Flamanville reactor.