Details of changes in provisions for the back-end of the nuclear cycle, decommissioning and last cores are as follows:
| (in millions of euros) | Notes | 31/12/2018 | Increases | Decreases | Discount effect | Other movements | 31/12/2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Provisions for spent fuel management | Provisions for spent fuel management Notes32.1.1 | Provisions for spent fuel management 31/12/2018 10,698 | Provisions for spent fuel management Increases 535 | Provisions for spent fuel management Decreases (890) | Provisions for spent fuel management Discount effect 515 | Provisions for spent fuel management Other movements (35) | Provisions for spent fuel management 31/12/2019 10,823 |
| Provisions for waste removal and conditioning | Provisions for waste removal and conditioning Notes32.1.2 | Provisions for waste removal and conditioning 31/12/2018 751 | Provisions for waste removal and conditioning Increases 29 | Provisions for waste removal and conditioning Decreases (29) | Provisions for waste removal and conditioning Discount effect 36 | Provisions for waste removal and conditioning Other movements 18 | Provisions for waste removal and conditioning 31/12/2019 805 |
| Provisions for long-term radioactive waste management | Provisions for long-term radioactive waste management Notes32.1.2 | Provisions for long-term radioactive waste management 31/12/2018 9,846 | Provisions for long-term radioactive waste management Increases 161 | Provisions for long-term radioactive waste management Decreases (232) | Provisions for long-term radioactive waste management Discount effect 650 | Provisions for long-term radioactive waste management Other movements 106 | Provisions for long-term radioactive waste management 31/12/2019 10,531 |
| Provisions for the back-end of the nuclear cycle | Provisions for the back-end of the nuclear cycle 31/12/2018 21,295 | Provisions for the back-end of the nuclear cycle Increases 725 | Provisions for the back-end of the nuclear cycle Decreases (1,151) | Provisions for the back-end of the nuclear cycle Discount effect 1,201 | Provisions for the back-end of the nuclear cycle Other movements 89 | Provisions for the back-end of the nuclear cycle 31/12/2019 22,159 | |
| Provisions for nuclear plant decommissioning | Provisions for nuclear plant decommissioning Notes32.1.3 | Provisions for nuclear plant decommissioning 31/12/2018 15,985 | Provisions for nuclear plant decommissioning Increases 105 | Provisions for nuclear plant decommissioning Decreases (141) | Provisions for nuclear plant decommissioning Discount effect 694 | Provisions for nuclear plant decommissioning Other movements 294 | Provisions for nuclear plant decommissioning 31/12/2019 16,937 |
| Provisions for last cores | Provisions for last cores Notes32.1.4 | Provisions for last cores 31/12/2018 2,526 | Provisions for last cores Increases - | Provisions for last cores Decreases - | Provisions for last cores Discount effect 97 | Provisions for last cores Other movements 1 | Provisions for last cores 31/12/2019 2,624 |
| Provisions for decommissioning and last cores | Provisions for decommissioning and last cores 31/12/2018 18,511 | Provisions for decommissioning and last cores Increases 105 | Provisions for decommissioning and last cores Decreases (141) | Provisions for decommissioning and last cores Discount effect 791 | Provisions for decommissioning and last cores Other movements 295 | Provisions for decommissioning and last cores 31/12/2019 19,561 | |
| PROVISIONS RELATED TO NUCLEAR GENERATION | PROVISIONS RELATED TO NUCLEAR GENERATION 31/12/2018 39,806 | PROVISIONS RELATED TO NUCLEAR GENERATION Increases 830 | PROVISIONS RELATED TO NUCLEAR GENERATION Decreases (1,292) | PROVISIONS RELATED TO NUCLEAR GENERATION Discount effect 1,992 | PROVISIONS RELATED TO NUCLEAR GENERATION Other movements 384 | PROVISIONS RELATED TO NUCLEAR GENERATION 31/12/2019 41,720 |
(1) The discount effect comprises the €1,543 million cost of unwinding the discount, and the €449 million effect of the change in the real discount rate in 2019, which were recorded in the income statement for provisions with no related assets (costs of unwinding the discount).
(2) Other movements mainly include the €361 million effect of the change in the real discount rate at 31 December 2019 for provisions with related assets.
Concerning non-EDF installations:
EDF’s currently adopted strategy with regards to the fuel cycle, in agreement with the French State, is to process spent fuel and to recycle the separated plutonium in the form of MOX fuel (Mixed OXide of plutonium and uranium).
The quantities processed by Orano at the request of EDF, totalling approximately 1,100 tonnes per year, are determined based on the quantity of recyclable plutonium in the reactors that are authorised to load MOX fuel.
Consequently, provisions for spent fuel cover services associated with the following:
The processing expenses included in these provisions exclusively concern spent fuel that can be recycled in existing facilities, including the portion in reactors but not yet irradiated.
Expenses are measured based on forecast physical flows at the year-end, with reference to the contracts with Orano which define the terms for implementation of the framework agreement for the period 2008-2040. The most recent contract, signed on 5 February 2016, covers the period 2016-2023. These contracts contain price indexes that will be revised annually.
In 2018 the Board of Directors approved resumption of recycling of uranium from reprocessing (which had been suspended in 2013 pending availability of a new industrial schema), with loading of the first fuel assemblies scheduled for 2023, subject to technical adaptations and the necessary authorisations from the Nuclear Safety Authority. The objective is to start recycling in certain 900MW units, and later in certain 1,300MW units. The corresponding contracts were signed with the respective suppliers in the second quarter of 2018. In 2019 EDF continued to monitor the plants’ preparation trajectory with reference to those contracts.
The portion of the provision for spent fuel management relating to uranium from reprocessing (€759 million) will be recovered once all the industrial, regulatory and economic conditions for resumption of uranium recycling have been fulfilled, but EDF has no control over fulfilment of some of these conditions (currently, no advance timetable has been set).
This provision also covers long-term storage of spent fuel that cannot currently be recycled in existing installations: plutonium fuel (MOX) or uranium fuel derived from enriched processing, and fuel from Creys-Malville and Brennilis until fourth-generation reactors become available. Dedicated assets are held in association with this provision (see note 48.4).
The provisions for waste removal and conditioning are reported separately from 1 January 2017.
They cover the following future expenses for radioactive waste resulting from operations or decommissioning (apart from spent fuel):
Equipment assembly for the conditioning and intermediate storage facility for radioactive waste (installation de conditionnement et d’entreposage des déchets activés – ICEDA) was completed in December 2018 and pre-service testing is currently in process. Information on the identification of EIP equipment (equipment that is important for protection of interests) has been added to the commissioning permit application (DAMS) and the documents required for examination of the commissioning authorisation application sent to the ASN. The ICEDA is expected to start operations in the first half of 2020.
