A little tour and then it’s gone. EPR’s Flamanville reactor (Manche) operated for the first time at 80% power this Wednesday, November 12 morning, EDF reports. The electrician emphasized that he maintains his goal of achieving 100% power levels.“here is late autumn”, but also announced a complete shutdown of the reactor for 350 days for the first time “complete visit”, starting September 26, 2026.
The new generation reactor, the first reactor to operate in twenty-five years in France, has been connected to the grid since December 21, 2024, twelve years late. It has spent several months in maintenance between February and April 2025. During the long maintenance in 2026, many checks and modifications – almost 20,000 in total – will have to be carried out. The tank cover, which was affected by a long-known anomaly, will be specially replaced. Operations requested by ASNR, and “which the nuclear fleet has done in the past and we have mastered”, said Sébastien Miossec, deputy director of production at EDF when delivering the latest news to the press.
A complete visit, which will also happen “opportunity to renew fuel” uranium, has character “regulation”, which must be done thirty months after the first reactor loading, he explained. “This was the case for Flamanville 3 as well as all nuclear fleet reactors in its history,” he added.
Meanwhile, the EDF team will now carry out various tests at this 80% level before seeking permission from the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Authority (ASNR) to achieve “maximum power level”said Sébastien Miossec, EDF’s deputy director of production during a progress update to the press.
Updated at 18:04. with details about maintenance operations.
