BASSE-NORMANDIE- LOWER NORMANDY Purpose : production of electricityInstallations : Flamanville 1 and 2Type : pressurized water reactors (class P4)Location: cap de Flamanville (Manche) Operator : Electricité de FrancePeriod of operation: since 1985 (went critical in 1985 and 1986 respectively) Fuel : low-enriched uranium oxideNuclear materials : uranium, plutonium, and tritiumNominal capacity : 2660 MW electric net (1330 MW per reactor)Actual production : total at the end of 2000, 216.3 TWh net (108.5 and 107.8 TWh respectively)
The 60-hectares that EDF owns on the cap de Flamanville have been chosen as the site of the first European Pressurized Water Reactor (EPR) to be built in France. It will be a 1600 MW reactor, known as Flamanville 3. EDF plans to put it into operation in 2012. In September 2006 EDF awarded two major construction contracts for the EPR: one to the Groupe Bouygues for studies and all civil engineering work on the industrial buildings and the other to the Groupe Alstom for studies and provision of the machine room (turbo-alternator group and its auxiliaries) (RGN iv. 06). In October 2006 the European Commission approved construction of the plant. In January 2007 EDF awarded the contract for the EPR's nuclear reactor to Areva. The contract covers engineering studies and the manufacture of all reactor components, including the vessel, cover, pumps, and steam generators, most of which Areva will produce at its Chalon St. Marcel and Jeumont plants, Areva stated in a January 24 press release. The authorization for construction was published in the Journal officiel April 11, 2007. Construction of the nuclear island began in early December 2007. Under an agreement signed November 30, 2007, between EDF and the Italian utility Enel, Enel will acquire a 12.5% stake in the EPR, the total cost of which is 3.6 billion euros.
Revised December 6, 2007
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