The French nuclear safety regulator ASN (Autorité de Sûreté Nucléaire) has given its conditional authorisation to EDF to commission and use the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) of the Flamanville-3 nuclear project. The ASN has reported that the mechanical properties of both the vessel head and bottom head are adequate and serviceable. However, the current head cannot be used beyond 2024 and the RPV will have to be replaced by then.
The 1,650 MWe Flamanville-3 EPR reactor is currently under construction in Normandy (France) and is facing many challenges. In July 2018, EDF completed in-depth examination of 148 out of the 150 welds in the main secondary system of the reactor: 33 had quality deficiencies that have to be repaired, while 20 failed to meet high quality requirements and will be reworked.
The loading of nuclear fuel is now scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2019, i.e. seven years after its initial commissioning date (2012), while the construction costs will increase to €10.9bn from the initial budget of €3.3bn.