Universal Registration Document 2022

1.4 Description of the Group’s activities

1 The Group, Its Strategy And Activities

1.4 Description of the Group’s activities

In 2017, the Group adopted a data management policy and set up a “data analytics” plant for nuclear, thermal and renewable electricity generation, with the pooling of expertise. A second plant has been set up for tertiary data (real estate, purchasing, etc.).

In 2020, the Group adopted an AI Ambition to speed up its progress in this field and structure a policy for responsible use of Artificial Intelligence. EDF also unveiled an open data platform at its innovation showcase event “Electric Days”.

EDF’s commitment was embodied by the signature of a Responsible Digital charter created by Institut du Numérique Responsable (the French Institute for Responsible Digital Technology). In 2021, for the first time, it obtained the Responsible Digital certification supported by the Ministry for Ecological Transition.

The EDF group is also a founder member of Gaia-X (1), an initiative to promote the emergence of a European trusted cloud. In 2022, it renewed its membership on the Board of Directors of this association and actively supports the concept of the “Trust Label”, as well as “DataSpace Energy”, a trusted ecosystem for promoting wider availability and sharing of energy sector data.

In the nuclear sector, the years 2020 to 2022 were marked by the rollout and advancement of the “excell Plan” (2).

Finally, in a rapidly changing environment, the Group must be a socially responsible and committed employer and, therefore, a benchmark in terms of health and safety (3).

1.4 Description of the Group’s activities

1.4.1 Electricity generation activity

Against a backdrop in which there will be more electricity usages, the Group has one of the largest power generation fleets in the world, with some of the lowest CO2 emissions, thanks to the share of nuclear and renewable energy in its energy mix. The Group intends to greatly accelerate the development of renewable energy in France and worldwide, with the goal of achieving 60GW net in 2030. The Group is also preparing for the nuclear energy of the future with EPR and through the development of Small Modular Reactors (SMR).

431.7TWh

POWER GENERATION

116.9GW

WORLDWIDE CONSOLIDATED INSTALLED CAPACITY

36GW

NET RENEWABLE CAPACITY

90%

DECARBONISED* GENERATION

*Direct output-related CO2 emissions, excluding life-cycle analysis (LCA) of fuel and production means.

The Group’s generation fleet has significant strengths:
  • a variety of means of generation, which enable adequate coverage of EDF’s downstream portfolio needs (end users, sales to alternative suppliers, sales on the wholesale markets, etc.). The use of the different components of the assets is managed by placing the priority at any time on the resources offering the lowest variable costs:
  • a standardised nuclear fleet of 56 reactors in France (4) and 9 reactors in operation in the United Kingdom;
  • the construction of EPR-type reactors worldwide;
  • the control of the entire life cycle of nuclear generation resources: design, operation, and decommissioning;
  • the implementation of actions aimed at improving the technical performance of power stations and extending operating lifespan;
  • a fleet generating at 90% without CO2 emissions (5) due to the predominance of nuclear and hydro-power generation facilities;
  • a geographical position at the junction of electricity exchanges between the continental platform and the electric peninsulas (Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom).
Composition and specifications of the EDF fleet in mainland France

With a total installed generation capacity of 86.5GW in mainland France (6) at 31 December 2022, the EDF fleet produced 322.7TWh (7) in mainland  France in 2022. At 31 December 2022, the capacity of EDF’s generation fleet was mainly composed of:

  • 56 nuclear units based on pressurised water reactors (PWR), with electrical power capacities ranging from 900MW to 1,500MW and an average age of 37 years. Also see section 1.4.1.1.2 “Nuclear power generation in France”;
  • 19 functioning thermal units (see section  1.4.1.2 “Thermal generation in mainland France”);
  • 427 hydropower plants, with an average age of 77  years (8). See section 1.4.1.3.1 “Hydropower generation in France”;
  • other hydropower plants owned by the Group’s subsidiaries: ÉS, SHEMA Group, CERGA and RKI (on the Rhine, owned 50%-50% with German energy company EnBW) and the Franco-Swiss entities of Chatelôt and Emosson.

(1) GAIA-X – European Association for Data and Cloud.

(2) See section 1.4.1.1.1.

(3) See section 3.3.1.3 “Health and safety of employees and subcontractors”.

(4) After the permanent shutdown of the two Fessenheim units.

(5) Direct carbon emissions related to generation, excluding life cycle analysis of generation plants and fuel.

(6) Excluding Corsica and French overseas departments.

(7) Including pumped storage hydropower.

(8) Arithmetic mean.