[Machine Translation] The EPR, EDF’s nightmare. The European pressurized reactor was to be the flagship of the French nuclear industry. For the electrician, it is now his survival and that of a whole sector that is at stake, while the group is heavily indebted and its income is dwindling. 74 billion of debt … and with the nuclear, it is not finished! At the headquarters of EDF, avenue de Wagram, in Paris, the gigantic banner of Greenpeace shows the color: we see the CEO of EDF, Jean-Bernard Lévy, making two fingers of honor to passersby, under the mention “Thank you Jean-Bernard”. This action of December 2016 marks a new stage in the argument of nuclear opponents: it is not only to denounce the risk of accidents, but also the financial risk that would weigh on EDF. NGOs are no longer alone in this field. In June, the then minister responsible for EDF Nicolas Hulot, took the argument. “One of the reasons why EDF finds itself in difficulty is that the nuclear industry, sorry to say, leads us into a drift. In a clear allusion to the expensive shipyard Flamanville (Channel), he said: “It is clear that economically, there is a kind of golden rule that is being established in this sector, it’s that in reality, we never keep our promises. The minister is picking up a criticism that is becoming more and more common: not only has nuclear become too expensive, but it would also be a major strategic mistake for EDF.
Le Monde 16th Sept 2018 read more »
[Machine Translation] Nuclear: In Flamanville, the welds of the discord. The manufacturing difficulties of the French EPR have cruelly recalled the pitfalls that threaten the tricolor nuclear industry: an extremely ambitious initial vision and implementation difficulties with heavy consequences. At the beginning of the year, problems with essential welds at the Flamanville reactor will lead EDF to re-evaluate the costs and delays of the project. While the group’s management hoped to start in early 2019, it will be necessary to wait until 2020 to see the EPR be connected to the network. The welding business illustrates bitterly the difficulties of the French nuclear industry, faced with its loss of skills and know-how. EDF has defined this new quality standard for the construction of the EPR and has not been able to enforce it to its own subcontractors In February, EDF discovered problems on thirty-eight welds, on sixty-six of the secondary circuit. This water circuit is the one used to evacuate steam to the turbine. It consists of four loops, associated with four steam generators. As a first step, the group explains that these pipes comply with the regulations but that they should have corresponded to the “high quality” standard, which is more demanding than the regulations in force. Specifically, EDF had defined this new quality standard for the construction of the EPR and was unable to enforce it to its own subcontractors. “Why did we need to create this new standard?” But things got complicated a few weeks later. The extensive examination of the welds reveals that a large part of them do not comply with the standard required by EDF, or even the regulations required for pressurized nuclear equipment. As a result, the group has to take back fifty-eight welds, knowing that a single weld represents eight weeks of extra work.
Le Monde 16th Sept 2018 read more »