The largest nuclear reactor in France is finally providing power to the country’s grid, more than a decade after it was expected to enter commercial operation. Flamanville 3, an EPR reactor located in Normandy, sustained a series of technical setbacks over the past several years. The 1,600-MW unit, now the most-powerful generating unit in France, began providing electricity on Dec. 21. It was originally expected to come online 12 years ago. Luc Remont, CEO of Électricité de France (EDF), the Paris-based state-owned multinational utility company, in a statement confirmed the startup of Flamanville 3. French President Emmanuel Macron in a statement on social media said it was a “Great moment for the country,” noting the unit is “one of the world’s most powerful nuclear reactors.” Macron added, “Re-industrialising to produce low-carbon energy is ecology French style.”
The Flamanville 3 reactor in Normandy, France, entered commercial operation on Dec. 21, 2024. The unit was originally expected to be commissioned 12 years ago. Courtesy: EDF The first EPR came online in 2018 when Unit 1 at the Taishan site in China entered commercial operation. Two other EPRs are currently in service: Taishan 2 in China, and at Olkiluoto in Finland. The Olkiluoto unit came online last year, 14 years after it was originally intended to be commissioned.
‘Historic’ Event for France
Remont said startup of Flamanville 3 is “historic,” noting, “The last time a reactor started up in France was 25 years ago at Civaux 2,” referring to the Civaux power plant in southwestern France. France receives about 62% of its electricity from nuclear power, according to the World Nuclear Association (WNA). The group said the country has nearly 60 operable reactors, with about 64 GW of generation capacity. Flamanville 3’s cost is estimated at about 13.2 billion euros ($13.76 billion), about four times its initial estimated cost of 3.3 billion euros. The reactor was started up on Sept. 3 of this year, but sustained what was called an “automatic shutdown” the next day. That resulted in more testing at the site, and a gradual ramp-up to Saturday’s grid connection. Macron has pledged to add more nuclear power to France’s generation fleet. His government in 2022 ordered six EPR2 reactors, a simplified version of the EPR design. EDF and Framatome are developing the EPR2. Macron has said he is considering options for eight more EPR2 units in addition to the six already ordered. The first six EPR2 reactors are set to be installed in pairs at the Penly, Gravelines, and Bugey power stations. —Darrell Proctor is a senior editor for POWER.