Further power-specific policy details are not expected before the end of next year when the government plans to present a new multi-annual plan (PPA) and when nuclear regulator ASN may have presented some findings in response to EDF’s plan to extend the run-time of its nuclear reactors beyond 40 years. EDF operates the countries 58 nuclear reactors and decided in its last board meeting before the presidential elections in April to close the two reactors at Fessenheim once the new Flamanville 3 reactor will be ready to come online, which is currently scheduled from late 2018. Almost the entire fleet of EDF’s 900 MW class reactors will reach their 40-year-lifespan before 2025 with EDF’s ‘Grand Carenage’ program planning to invest some Eur50 billion into upgrading its reactors to extend their lifespan beyond 40 years. During his election campaign, President Macron said he would base any decision regarding reactor closures upon the regulator’s views on the ‘Grand Carenage’ program (See http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/RS-EDF-faces-EUR100-billion-reactor-upgrade-bill-says-audit-office-1102164.html)expected around late-2018. The 17 reactors of the 900 MW class would have a capacity of around 15 GW, which in turn would reduce French nuclear capacity to 48 GW.
Platts 10th July 2017 read more »