EDF selects site to host 2 possible future EPRs (France)

EDF has selected the site of Penly in Seine-Maritime (north-western France) to host two possible future EPRs in case the French government decides to order new nuclear reactors of this type (as of 2023 at the earliest). The group intends to release a new, less expensive version of its EPR nuclear reactor by mid-2021. EDF aims to standardise the construction of projects (robust sequencing of sites, compliant manufacturing and construction, new accreditation system for welders) to reach a 30% cost cut compared to the cost of a Flamanville site that would have taken place under normal conditions. The French government has delayed a decision on new nuclear reactors until after the Flamanville 3 project is commissioned, which is now projected in 2024. The Flamanville project was initially expected to be commissioned in 2013 (completion of construction in late 2012) at a cost of €3.3bn. In October 2019, EDF revised the construction schedule for the nuclear project and raised the estimated construction cost by €1.5bn to €12.4bn, due to technical problems.

In addition, EDF has revised upward its nuclear generation forecast for 2020 in France, to around 335 TWh (+6%). In 2019, nuclear power generation in France dipped by 3.5% to 379.5 TWh, missing its 384-388 TWh target. In January 2020, the group announced a target of up to 395 TWh for the year but it soon revised it to 375 TWh in a context of pandemic-related crisis. In April 2020, EDF cut again its 2020 nuclear output estimate in France by 20% to 300 TWh, before forecasting a higher nuclear production in July 2020 (around 315-325 TWh, i.e. +5 to 8%) and in October 2020 (325-335 TWh).