A general view of the three reactors making up the Flamanville nuclear power plant with the third-generation European Pressurised Water nuclear reactor (EPR) in the background in Flamanville, France, April 25, 2024. REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq/File Photo
PARIS: Electricite de France (EDF) SA has connected a new nuclear reactor to the French power grid for the first time in a quarter century, adding low-carbon electricity supply at a time when a sputtering economy has made demand sluggish.
The Flamanville-3 reactor – the first such addition since Civaux 2 was connected in 1999 – will join EDF’s fleet of 56 reactors in France, which generate more than two-thirds of the country’s electricity and are the backbone of western Europe’s power system.
When fully ramped up, the new unit will provide a stable source of supply, which can be particularly useful during peak hours in the winter.
Increased nuclear output will also curb the use of gas-fired power stations.
“The link-up of Flamanville is an historic event for the entire nuclear sector,” EDF chief executive officer Luc Rémont said.
France is set for record power exports in 2024 as local demand remains subdued and it keeps adding renewable capacity.
Better generation from EDF’s nuclear fleet is also helping keep a lid on wholesale prices, partly reversing bill increases caused by Europe’s energy crisis.
The Flamanville-3 reactor in the country’s northwest adds 1.6 gigawatts (GW) of output, raising France overall atomic capacity to about 63GW. The new facility will run at varying capacity through its testing phase, which is expected to end during the summer of 2025, according to a regulatory filing last Wednesday. — Bloomberg
