It is a compass that never points north. Since September, the government and the nuclear industry have been watching the schedule of EDF’s 56 reactors. The challenge: that a maximum be operational to spend the winter. For three months now, BFM Business has been following the development of the French nuclear park on a daily basis, reactor by reactor. The observation is clear: the EDF calendar is not maintained.
Some concrete examples of this permanent skate. In September, EDF restarted just five reactors, while planning to double them at the beginning of the month. And only three have restarted their production on time. October was affected by strikes over wage increases; which interrupted this schedule, beyond the control of EDF. But the month of November also experienced significant delays. Of the twelve reactors that were going to return to the network, five have been postponed to December.
RTE expects delays of 30% of downtime
In recent days, these delays have continued, as in the Gravelines (3) and Cattenom (4) reactors. These two examples are revealing. The first has been in “routine maintenance” since March. EDF has changed its schedule a dozen times! On Tuesday, the group announced its return to the service for this Thursday, December 8. Yesterday it was delayed until next Tuesday… The second, Cattenom number 4, has been checked for a month to detect possible corrosion in the pipes. This is also what pushes EDF to postpone the planning of some reactors in recent months. Announced for mid-November, then late November, should finally be relaunched yesterday, and should finally be today.
It is difficult to trust EDF’s provisional schedule. However, it is the “bible” in the sector these days. During his press conference on the winter forecasts, the manager of the electrical network (RTE) explained “taking margins of error” in relation to this schedule. Based on our information, you generally expect 30% compensation. If a reactor must be shut down for 4 weeks, RTE assumes a delay of one week to ten days.
The same goes for long-term maintenance. These “decennial inspections” generally last three months, and RTE is at least a month late. “Actually, three years ago RTE completely stopped relying on EDF’s schedule,” explains a person who knows the company well.
reliability problem
At EDF, we recognize that these incessant discrepancies raise the question of the “reliability” of the information provided. “We give our most optimistic vision even if it means transferring it in full transparency to the operators of the electricity market, explains a spokesman. We cannot take any margin of precaution.” EDF must deliver its information daily at the risk of being accused of hiding it from the market.
In October, the Minister for Energy Transition still had a promise from EDF to restart all these reactors by January. Today, Agnès Pannier Runacher is disappointed. “The law requires the communication of truthful information”, she kicks in touch with her office, which, however, acknowledges that “it is understandable that there are fortuitous stops and uncertainties that can lead to postponements”. And she turns the tables on the EDF “it’s your responsibility to keep this schedule,” she adds to the crowd around her.
Source: BFM TV
