France’s largest nuclear reactor, Flamanville 3, has finally begun providing electricity to the country’s grid after a 12-year delay. The 1,600-MW unit, located in Normandy, started generating power on December 21, exceeding expectations that it would enter commercial operation much earlier.
The reactor, an EPR design built by Électricité de France (EDF), has faced numerous technical setbacks over the years, prompting a gradual ramp-up to its final connection to the grid. French President Emmanuel Macron hailed the event as “historic,” noting that it marks a significant step towards re-industrializing France’s energy production.
The Flamanville 3 reactor is one of several EPR units currently in operation globally, with similar reactors already up and running in China and Finland. The project’s cost has ballooned to around $13.76 billion, significantly exceeding the initial estimate of $3.3 billion.
Macron has expressed his commitment to increasing France’s nuclear power capacity, with plans to add more EPR2 units to the country’s generation fleet. The government has already ordered six EPR2 reactors and is considering options for additional eight units. With nearly 60 operational reactors generating around 64 GW of electricity, Flamanville 3’s startup is a notable milestone in France’s efforts to boost its low-carbon energy production.
Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/flamanville-3-reactor-online-france-185636294.html