Universal Registration Document 2022

1.4.1.2.1 EDF’s thermal generation in mainland France

At 31 December 2022, the thermal generation facilities operated by EDF were of different types, both in terms of fuel and power:

Power generation in 2022

EDF’s electricity generation from its thermal power plants in mainland France represented 3.5% of its total electricity generation in 2022. By end 2022, this fleet had a total installed operating capacity of 4,945MW.

Thermal generation (net energy) in 2021 amounted to 11.24TWh in 2022, a higher level of operation than in 2021 (10.53TWh). In 2022, coal units supplied 1.64TWh, CCGT plants 8.92TWh and combustion turbines 0.68TWh.

The priority for these thermal means of generation required on a variable basis all year round is to ensure maximum reliability and availability. The fleet’s adaptability to a sustained level of operation was demonstrated. In particular, combustion turbines were in high demand and had a very good response rate when called into operation.

1.4.1.2.2 Issues relating to thermal generation

Coal-fired fleet in transition

Between 2013 and 2015, EDF permanently shut down ten coal-fired generation units. Between 2014 and 2016, it renovated the three newer technology production units located in Le Havre (1 unit) and Cordemais (2 units) to improve their reliability and efficiency.

EDF proceeded to shut down the Le Havre power plant on 1 April 2021. However, RTE’s most recent provisional review has revealed the need to maintain generation at the Cordemais power plant until 2024, or perhaps even 2026, so as to maintain balance between demand and supply in the Grand Ouest region.

In 2022, a project for the construction of a black pellet factory (known as Ecocombust 2) overseen by the industrial company Paprec was launched in response to the Call for Expressions of Interest by the French research agency ADEME under the coordination of the inter-ministerial delegate for local support of the energy transition. Without waiting for a potential decision on the part of Paprec to invest in Ecocombust 2, as part of the EDF group’s decarbonisation strategy, works have been commenced to allow partial operation of Cordemais with biomass as of the winter of 2022-2023.

Emissions of the thermal fleet

In  2022, EDF’s thermal power plants in mainland France emitted 5.32  million tonnes of CO₂ (5.70 million tonnes in 2021). The CO₂ content per kWh generated by EDF’s thermal power plants in mainland France in 2022 is 473g/kWh net (535g/ kWh net in 2021). This fall in the CO₂ component is the result of a lower proportion of coal units in EDF’s thermal generation mix. These accounted for some 15% of thermal generation fleet output in 2022 (compared to 29% in 2021). It is to be noted that in 2010, the CO₂ content per kWh generated more than 900g CO₂/kWh net.

In 2022, EDF’s thermal generation fleet in mainland France emitted 1.210kt of SO₂,3.65kt of NOx and 0.063kt of dust. Per kWh generated, polluting emissions have fallen compared with 2010 by five times for NOx, by over twenty-five times for SO₂

and by over twenty-seven times for dust. These drastic reductions in emissions were made possible by:

• the shutdown of the oldest thermal plants;
• the renovation and installation of smoke treatment equipment using the best techniques available at the most recent plants;
• the use of low sulphur fuel;
• the commissioning of natural gas combined cycle turbines.

For example, Cordemais units are thus equipped with flue gas desulphurisation and denitrification systems (90% reduction in sulphur dioxide emissions and 80% reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions) as well as dust collectors that trap almost all dust.