The EPR nuclear reactor in Flamanville (Manche) was automatically shut down on Monday 16 September, while tests were being carried out almost two weeks after its first start-up, EDF has learned. On 4 September, one day after the start of the so-called divergence nuclear reaction process, the reactor was automatically shut down for the first time, before being restarted on 7 September.
Monday’s shutdown occurred while the reactor was “at very low power” and “tests were being carried out on a group of control groups intended to measure the doubling time of the chain reaction,” EDF said.
“A long and complex process”
The group added that start-up operations would resume after the checks, once the causes of “this event without impact on the safety of the reactor” were known. “The start-up of the EPR is a long and complex process,” which puts the equipment into service for the first time.
Estimated at €3 billion at the time of its announcement, but burdened by multiple delays and additional costs which quadrupled its cost to around €13 billion, the Flamanville EPR started almost 12 years late. Its connection to the grid is scheduled for late autumn.
Source: BFM TV
