From Flamanville 3 Fuel Loading to Taishan 2’s Production Record: A Look at the EPR Family

The fuel loading of the Flamanville EPR is a significant event for the French nuclear sector. It also provides an opportunity to review the international progress of this third-generation reactor from China to Finland, passing through France and the United Kingdom.

Globally, three EPR reactors (1,650 MWe each) are operational: two in China (Taishan 1 & 2) and one in Finland (Olkiluoto 3). In France, Flamanville 3 is at the commissioning stage, and two additional reactors are under construction in the United Kingdom (Hinkley Point C). Fuel loading and production records… Recently, several pieces of good news have emerged about the “EPR Family,” this third-generation reactor.

Flamanville 3 Fuel Loading Begins

This is undoubtedly a historic event for French nuclear power. On Tuesday, May 7, the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) authorized the commissioning of the Flamanville EPR. The EDF teams, having awaited this green light, began loading fuel into the reactor core the following day, Wednesday, May 8 at 2 PM. The 241 fuel assemblies will be loaded over several days, and EDF will then continue with startup operations (controls, tests…) over several months. Connection to the electrical grid is scheduled for the summer of 2024.

Arrival of the First Steam Generator at the British Site

The next item takes us 200 km from Flamanville, to Somerset County in the UK. The first steam generator for the Hinkley Point C project has arrived on site, about a year after the reactor vessel. The 25-meter long, 520-ton steam generator, designed and manufactured by Framatome, was transported by barge, the Aurora Maya, along the River Parrett to Combwich, then by road for the last six kilometers. In addition to this project involving two EPRs, the United Kingdom plans to build an additional pair at Sizewell C.

Taishan 2 Breaks Its Production Record

With its 1,650 MWe capacity, the EPR is the most powerful nuclear reactor in the world. It is therefore fitting that it holds the record for the highest electricity production. The second Chinese EPR, Taishan-2, however, broke its own record set in 2020 (12.4 TWh) with a production of 12.8 TWh in 2023.

End of Outage for Olkiluoto 3

Finally, the EPR OL3 is at the end of its outage. The third unit at the Olkiluoto plant diverged at the end of 2021, was connected to the grid in March 2022, and entered commercial operation in May 2023. Undergoing maintenance for its annual outage, the reactor’s return to the grid is scheduled for May 14. In 2023, OL3 produced 10.3 TWh.■