Universal Registration Document 2022

EDF participates in several international works on water (IHA Board of Directors, Board of Directors of the Partenariat français de l’eau (French Water Partnership), member of the World Water Council, etc.), and is also directly involved, as UFE representative to Eurelectric, in working groups at the European level (for example, on the Water Framework Directive).

Water coordination

Since 2003, EDF has had an internal water coordination body headed by the Group Executive Director in charge of renewable energies, who has delegated this mission to EDF Hydro’s management. The operational management of water is ensured at the national level by the Water Management Group (GGE) responsible for ensuring the regular, weekly or daily monitoring, if necessary, of water stocks in order to coordinate various production constraints and the management of the multiple uses of water.

3.2.3.3.2.2 Keeping commitments

Water balance and back-up in case of low water levels

Given the unusual climatic conditions mentioned above, the summer and autumn of 2022 were particularly tense from the point of view of water management in most basins, with reservoirs that were less full and the need for low water support greater than usual. In several valleys, water restrictions were decided by the support structures (EPTB ⁽¹⁾). EDF was able to manage this particular summer thanks to its expertise in anticipating and then managing tense situations and maintaining dialogue with the government services (arbitrator) and the other stakeholders.

Most of the commitments with the various stakeholders have been kept to the best of our ability in view of the exceptional hydrometeorological situation in 2022:

• to meet the various needs of water users within the framework of the specifications of hydropower concessions or water sharing agreements, EDF has released very large volumes from its reservoirs with 808hm3, i.e. +60% compared to the 2015-2021 average (a particularly hot period), with this moreover constituting a record for the period. The volume of low-water support in the Adour-Garonne basin has reached a record level at 117Mm3 (with the previous record being 91Mm3 in 2019 and 2020). At Serre-Ponçon, the withdrawal for agricultural purposes ultimately remained within its envelope of 200Mm3 (184Mm3 delivered) under drastic reductions;
• in Corsica, highly prudent management of the reservoirs made it possible to reach the tourist coasts and to adhere to the agreed commitments to the detriment of production. For the Durance-Verdon complex of facilities, which recorded the largest hydrological deficit since their commissioning in 1964, the levels of the Serre-Ponçon, Castillon and Sainte-Croix reservoirs remained below the minimum tourist levels from 1 July and throughout the summer.

The CGEDD-CGAAER appraisers ⁽²⁾ recognised during the Varenne de l’Eau meeting EDF’s important role in the water balance of the Adour-Garonne basin and concluded on the need to preserve potential hydroelectric flexibility.

3.2.3.3.2.3 Access to water in international projects

With regard to water access, hygiene and sanitation, better known as “WASH” (Water Access to Sanitation and Hygiene) and as it constitutes the main target of the SDG6 for water, EDF guarantees such access to all employees and workers on 100% of its facilities or offices. In 2013, EDF was one of the first companies to sign the WBCSD’s advocacy (3) to make a pledge to WASH. EDF goes beyond this pledge by applying it to temporary sites such as remote mobile hydropower worksites (e.g. Nam Theun 2 in Laos).

Cameroon

The Nachtigal Hydropower Project strives to improve access to water for the people in the project area, as was successfully done for the Nam Theun 2 project in Laos. An invitation to tender was recently launched to renovate existing boreholes and drill new ones in zones where access to clean water is an issue for local people. This initiative is part of the programmes to support local infrastructure, and was developed in conjunction with the local population and authorities in charge of community development.

Chile

The “Good energy to improve the quality of life of the Los Burros Sur cove” initiative won first prize in the “Good practices for a more sustainable electricity future” competition organised by Generadoras de Chile. This initiative is organised by EDF and Latin American Power in collaboration with a selection of local stakeholders in the municipality of Freirina. The project features more than ten actions, including installing solar power generation systems, supplying drinking water, and supporting diversified production in the zone, such as diving lessons for fishermen and women or delivery of appropriate equipment. The community received funding to build a desalination plant (with expert technical support from both businesses), as well as additional funding to increase drinking water production.

On the theme of integrated and shared water management, please also refer to section 1.4.1.3.1.4 “Issues relating to Hydropower generation” and particularly “water management and access”.

3.2.4 Radioactive and conventional waste, and circular economy

Optimising the use of the natural resources consumed by the Group’ s value chain is an essential component of the Group’s corporate responsibility. The Group undertakes to:

• assume its responsibilities with regard to radioactive waste;
• promote a circular economy approach;
• avoid the production of conventional waste and promote, in order of priority, the reuse, recycling and recovery of products/materials throughout the value chain (energy or materials recovery);
• use waste by reallocating uses internally within the Company in case of new developments, or via certified recovery centres.

3.2.4.1 Assuming its responsibility for radioactive materials or waste

Nuclear power plants generate radioactive waste from the operation of power plants, recycling of spent fuel, or decommissioning of permanently shut-down plants:

• 95% of the volume of radioactive waste produced by EDF is “short-lived” waste (period less than or equal to thirty-one years). It mainly comes from filtration systems, and maintenance and servicing operations. The majority of radioactive waste from plant decommissioning works is also short-lived waste;
• “long-lived” waste (period greater than thirty-one years) is generated by processing spent nuclear fuel, disposing of certain metal parts from reactors, and waste from decommissioning of metal parts close to the core, as well as graphite from natural uranium graphite gas nuclear reactors. This “long-lived” waste accounts for approximately 5% of the volume of radioactive waste eventually produced by EDF.