On 23 February 2021, the ASN ruled on the terms for continuing to operate 900MW reactors beyond their fourth scheduled inspection. The ASN “deems that the measures put forward by EDF, coupled with its own recommendations, open up to the way for the continued operation of 900 MW reactors for ten years after their fourth regular re-examination”.
Tricastin 1 was the first 900 MW reactor units to successfully undergo its fourth ten year inspection (VD4). The lessons learned from the Tricastin 1 VD4 have been applied to the Bugey, Gravelines and Dampierre VD4s. The results of these VD4s are satisfactory. They show a strong capacity for industrialising operations, as well as for involving the industrial fabric necessary for the success of this project.
During his speech on 10 February 2022 at General Electric’s Steam Power site in Belfort, the President of the French Republic announced that he wanted to “extend the lifespan of all reactors that can be extended” and that “no nuclear reactor in operation will be closed in the future (…), except for safety reasons”.
On this occasion, the President also stated that he had asked EDF to “study the conditions necessary for extending the life of nuclear power plants beyond fifty years”, thus paving the way for the continued operation of nuclear reactors beyond their 50-year lifespan.
In 2021, the process for examining the generic phase of the fourth periodic review of the 1,300MW series was initiated with the ASN. The initial series unit (TTS) is planned for Paluel in 2026. In addition, the 30-year review of the 1,450MW series has been initiated with a TTS planned for 2029. The lessons learned from these two reviews were shared by ASN, IRSN and EDF in order to benefit from the review carried out on the 900 MW series.
The standardisation and industrialisation of issues reviewed for the various series improve the capacity to deploy identical and proven technical solutions and makes it easier for the operator to absorb these substantial upgrades to the facilities. The analysis of social, organisational and human impacts is an integral part of the periodic review process.
On 28 July 2021, the Board of Directors approved the extension in the consolidated financial statements of the depreciation period for the 1,300MW PWR plants from 40 years to 50 years (see note 1.4.1 to the consolidated financial statements at year-end 2021). This accounting estimate does not assume that continued operation will be authorised: such authorisation will be granted unit by unit by the Safety Authority after each ten-yearly inspection, as required by law.
The depreciation period for the 1,450MW series currently remains at 40 years, because the conditions for an extension have not been met. Nevertheless, the subsequent extension of the depreciation period of these series remains an industrial objective for the Group.
On 22 January 2015, EDF’s Board of Directors approved in principle a major overhaul programme (the Grand Carénage) aimed at refurbishing the French nuclear fleet, enhancing reactor safety and, if conditions allow, continuing their operation. This programme incorporates additional safety improvements identified following the Fukushima accident.
This industrial programme is being gradually implemented in compliance with the objectives of the Energy transition for green growth Law, multi-year energy programmes and the opinions and orders of the ASN as well as specific procedures for reactors to run for more than 40 years.
The initial cost of the programme was €201355 billion (or €60 billion in current euros) over the period 2014-2025 for the 58 reactors of the fleet in operation(1), covering, on the existing nuclear fleet, both investments in routine maintenance and investments necessary to extend their operating life (replacement of steam generators, VD4 900, VD3 1300).
The optimisation work undertaken since (reductions and postponements) led to downward revision of the overall cost of the programme to €201345 billion (or €48 billion in current euros) over the 2014-2025 period. This revision is largely a result of continued optimisation efforts regarding the adopted technical solutions and component replacement strategies and greater precision in their application by integrating the capacities of the industrial base. Bringing forward the shutdown date for the Fessenheim plant in 2020 has also been taken into account.
In 2020, EDF readjusted the cost of the Grand Carénage refurbishment programme for 2014-2025 to €49.4 billion in current euros (2). For the most part, this new estimate incorporates the initial lessons learned from the additional works to be conducted, drawn from the examination process in connection with the fourth periodic review of the 900 MW reactors, which was completed with the decision the ASN rendered on 23 February 2021. It includes studies, alterations and additional equipment not originally planned for, aimed at improving safety levels. It also includes the review of the planned duration for scheduled maintenance shutdowns(ten-year inspections and partial inspections), drawing on the experience of previous years, as well as the impact of the health crisis, as estimated in 2020,applying to 2020-2022 (3).
The estimated cost of the programme is regularly updated and to date stands at €50.2 billion (+€0.8 billion compared to the adjusted figure of €49.4 billion for 2020) (4), which takes into account additional studies and work.
The new roadmap of the Grand Carénage project for the period after 2025, which includes, in particular, the costs in connection with the VD5 of the 900 series, is under way.
Industrial work will continue beyond 2025. Capital expenditure will therefore remain high beyond this date.
EDF takes full regulatory, financial, and technical responsibility for the decommissioning of its plants and the other nuclear installations it operates(5). EDF has taken steps to ensure that throughout decommissioning, it controls the entire life cycle of nuclear power generation resources.
The decommissioning of a BNF is ordered by a decree, issued after an opinion by the ASN and completion of a public enquiry. This decree determines the characteristics of the decommissioning, the timeframe for its completion, and where applicable, the operation’s incumbent upon the operator after decommissioning.
The reference scenario adopted by EDF since 2001 is for decommissioning without a waiting period, consistent with French regulations, which provide for decommissioning “in as short a time as possible” after final shutdown on acceptable economic terms and in line with the principles set out in Article L. 1333-2 of the French Public Health Code and Article L. 110-1 II of the Environmental Code (see Article L. 593-25 of the French Environmental Code).
The regulatory process for decommissioning involves the following:
(1) The figures presented by the French Cour des Comptes in its report of 10 February 2016 cover a longer time horizon, up to 2030, and included operating and maintenance expenses, in addition to investment expenses. Both assessments are consistent, as stated by the Cour des Comptes in its report. Indeed, among the overall estimates calculated by the Cour des Comptes and amounting to close to €100 billion for the 2014-2030 period, the investment -expenditures estimated at €74.73 billion should be distinguished from the operating expenditures estimated at €201325.16 billion. Within the €201374.73 billion of investment expenses between 2014 and 2030, €201355 billion are dedicated to the 2014-2025 period, which allows the two estimates established by the EDF group and the Cour des Comptes to be connected.
(2) See the press release dated 29 October 2020 “EDF readjusts the costs of its Grand Carénage programme”.
(3) This does not include any subsequent lockdown or other restrictive measures affecting activity
(4) Excluding repairs that may be required for stress corrosion evidence discovered at the Chooz, Civaux and Penly reactors. See EDF’s press releases of 15 December 2021 “Reactors of the Civaux and Chooz nuclear power plants: replacements and preventive checks on parts of the piping of a safety system” and of 13 January 2022 “EDF updates its nuclear output estimate in France for 2022”.
(5) BCOT (Base chaude opérationnelle du Tricastin), Saint-Laurent Silos, ICEDA…
