[Flamanville EPR Series] EDF Begins Fuel Loading at the Flamanville EPR

Less than 24 hours after receiving the commissioning authorization for the Flamanville EPR, EDF teams have commenced the reactor fuel loading process, an operation that will take several days.

EDF wasted no time! On May 8, the group announced that the fuel loading operation at the Flamanville EPR in Manche had started. In a statement, the group said: “EDF teams began loading the fuel assemblies into the reactor vessel on May 8, 2024, at 2 PM.” This occurred just hours after the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) had authorized the commissioning of the facility.

L'@ASN a délivré l’autorisation de mise en service de l’EPR de Flamanville ✅

Nos équipes débutent le chargement du combustible dans le réacteur ⤵️
#DLDSep @EDFEPR

— EDF (@EDFofficiel) May 8, 2024

The utility explains that “The loading will take several days. 241 fuel assemblies will be loaded into the reactor vessel.” From there, pre-critical tests will begin, followed by power escalation tests. “EDF will continue the startup, control, and testing operations over several months, in close cooperation with and under the supervision of the ASN,” EDF further assures.

The Dawn of “New Nuclear” in France

Thus, with the prospect of connecting to the electrical grid “planned for the summer of 2024,” EDF is completing the Flamanville EPR project. In a message posted on LinkedIn, the Interministerial Delegation for New Nuclear (DINN) celebrated the commissioning of the EPR.

They assured: “This commissioning, which occurs just over two decades after those of the last reactors built on national territory (Civaux 1 and 2) and a year after the commissioning of the Olkiluoto 3 EPR reactor in Finland, paves the way for the era of new French nuclear.” ■