4 Oversight of the Flamanville EPR reactor The EPR is a PWR using a design that contains a number of changes by comparison with that of the reactors currently in operation in France. It meets reinforced safety objectives: reduction in the frequency of incidents or accidents, limitation of discharges, reduced volume and activity of waste, reduced individual and collective doses received by the workers (in normal operation and incident situations), reduced overall frequency of core melt, taking account of all types of failures and hazards and reduced radiological consequences of any accidents, in particular in the case of core melt. In May 2006, EDF submitted a creation authorisation application to the Ministers responsible for nuclear safety and for radiation protection, for an EPR type reactor with a power of 1,600 MWe on the Flamanville site, which was already home to two 1,300 MWe reactors. The Government authorised its creation through Decree 200-534 of 10 April 2007, after a favourable opinion issued by ASN following the examination process. This Decree was modified in 2017 and in 2020, to extend the time allowed for commissioning of the reactor. After the issue of this DAC and the building permit, construction of the Flamanville EPR reactor began in September 2007. The first concrete was poured for the nuclear island buildings in December 2007. The large nuclear components, such as the reactor vessel and the SGs were brought into the reactor building in 2014 and 2015. The main tests of the installation as a whole began in 2017. Fuel was stored on the site as of 2020, then loaded into the reactor vessel in May 2024, following the commissioning authorisation from ASN. Since then, EDF has begun start-up tests with the core loaded. EDF in particular carried out first reactor divergence in September 2024. 4.1 The commissioning authorisation In a resolution of 7 May 2024, ASN authorised commissioning of the Flamanville EPR reactor. This authorisation allowed EDF to load nuclear fuel into the reactor and carry out start-up tests, followed by operation of the reactor. This authorisation concluded the process conducted by ASN, with the support of IRSN, to examine EDF’s authorisation application. ASN also oversaw the construction of the reactor, which involved the performance of nearly 600 inspections. More specifically, at the beginning of 2024 and prior to commissioning, ASN carried out start-up test inspections on completion of the installation, conformity of the nuclear pressure equipment and preparedness of the teams who will be operating the reactor. The authorisation issued by ASN is accompanied by binding technical requirements which: ∙regulate the performance and monitoring of the installation’s start-up tests following loading of nuclear fuel into the reactor; ∙stipulate how experience feedback from the operation of other EPR type reactors around the world is taken into account; ∙define the deadline for replacement of the exchangers between the component RRI and essential SEC so that a sufficient level of performance is guaranteed throughout the lifetime of the installation; ∙define the deadline for replacement of the bodies of two main secondary systems safety valves. ASN has already required that the vessel closure head be replaced and this will take place during the reactor’s first refuelling outage. During its examination, ASN consulted the public regarding the EDF file and the draft commissioning authorisation. ASN also obtained the opinion of the Environmental Authority and the regional authorities concerned by the project. Finally, it held a hearing for the CLI of the Flamanville NPP. ASN published a report summarising the conclusions of its examination as well as a summary of the public consultations held during the course of this examination. As a result of these consultations, ASN supplemented the technical requirements appended to the commissioning authorisation resolution, so that EDF regularly informs the CLI and the public regarding the performance of the start-up tests. 4.2 Monitoring start-up and the beginning of reactor operations The commissioning authorisation enabled EDF to start loading the 241 nuclear fuel assemblies into the reactor. These operations ended on 15 May 2024. They underwent a specific inspection on 10 May 2024. ASN considers that they were well prepared and carried out. The reactor vessel was closed at the end of May 2024: this step enabled EDF to begin the pre-critical cold and then hot tests, which could only be conducted once the reactor core was loaded in the vessel. The licensee periodically submits information about the progress of operation and testing, which notably enables ASN to carry out its oversight work. View of the Flamanville EPR reactor. 322 ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2024 The EDF Nuclear Power Plants
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