CHAMPAGNE-ARDENNES

Purpose : electricity production

Installations : Chooz A shut down, B1 and B2

Type : pressurized water reactors (prototype and N4)

Operator : Sena (Chooz A) and Electricité de France (B1 and B2)

Period of operation : 1966-1991 (Chooz A); B1 went critical in 1996; B2 in 1997

Fuel : low-enriched uranium oxide and mixed oxides of uranium and plutonium

Nominal capacity : Chooz A, 305 MW electric net; Chooz B1 and B2 2910 MW electric (1455 MW each)

Actual production : Chooz A furnished 38 TWh net (40.322 TWh gross); EDF cumulative statistics for the end of 1999 give no figures for Chooz B1 and B2. In 2000, Chooz B1 produced 8.4 TWh net and Chooz B2 3.0 Twh net.

EDF and a group of Belgian utilities created the Société d’énergie nucléaire franco-belge des Ardennes in 1960 to construct and operate a pressurized water reactor. The agreement provided for equal division of the expenses in return for half the energy produced .

Chooz A was the French-Belgian prototype of the line, but had certain peculiarities, in particular its implantation in two caves dug into the interior of a hill.

Chooz A was the first French reactor to use Mox fuel and received in an experimental capacity four Mox elements in 1974, two in 1979, and eight in November 1987 [Zerbib 93]. A decree of 19 March 1999 authorizes EDF to dismantle Chooz A to a level, intermediate between that of level 1 and level 2 on the IAEA scale [JO 21.iii.99].

The entry into service of the B1 and B2 reactors was significantly delayed, initially because of the drawing out of the construction calendar due to the over capacity of the EDF park and then because of important problems in perfecting the new operating system. Reactor B1 holds the record for construction time for a French nuclear reactor-12 years.

Chooz B1 was shut down between February 1998 and March 1999 for maintenance. A leak at Civaux1, May 12, 1998, brought to light a generic problem of cracks in the RRA circuits (cooling during shut-down) of the N4 class and led to the unloading of fuel from Chooz B1 and and B2 and Civaux 1. Chooz B2 was shut down between May 1998 and March 1999 [Con vi.99]

It was announced in January 2009 that the CEA and the CNRS will construct a laboratory within the power plant to study the neutrino.  This is one of four basic elements (with the electron and two quarks.  It is produced by the stars, by cosmic rays and by the cores of nuclear plants, and is abundant in the universe.  It moves very rapidly and reacts very seldom with matter.  Thus it is difficult to study. Scientists hope, however, that its study can lead to revelations about matter and anti-matter and even about the Big Bang and the origin of the universe [AFP 23.i.09].

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