The giant nuclear project under construction at Flamanville in France is facing yet another major challenge, with a new report claiming it has failed to obtain the requisite safety certification. EDF – the energy company building the power plant – is awaiting a verdict from the French nuclear regulator ASN over allegedly faulty parts produced by its forging facility, including the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) at the heart of its flagship Flamanville project. According to a report by engineers Large & Associates commissioned by Greenpeace France, that very RPV was not issued a ‘certificate of conformity’ by the ASN — which means it would fail to meet both EU and national safety standards. It also suggests that EDF could be forced to remove and replace it, further delaying the already-years-late project. The Flamanville reactor is a model for the project planned by EDF for Hinkley Point in the UK, and reports claim if it isn’t up-and-running by 2020 then the British government can minimise its financial support.
Energydesk 29th Sept 2016 read more »