The Flamanville 3 EPR will be connected in mid-2024, as confirmed by EDF


It’s official: the new Flamanville 3 EPR will be connected to the grid by mid-2024, according to an announcement by EDF on its regulatory messages page for electricity market stakeholders. The startup of the Flamanville 3 EPR (Manche) is now just months away, with fuel loading scheduled for March 2024 and grid connection shortly thereafter in mid-2024. This timeline aligns with EDF’s announcements at the end of 2022
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Before reaching its full electricity production capacity, the third-generation reactor will undergo various testing phases, variations, and power increases, subject to approval by the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN). The reactor aims to generate around 14 TWh from its first connection until the next scheduled shutdown in 2026, known as Full Visit 1, which is expected to take several months.

Validation of requalification tests

Alain Morvan, the project director for Flamanville 2 at EDF, expressed satisfaction on LinkedIn about the completion of the overall requalification tests of the Flamanville EPR according to the planned schedule. He emphasized the decisive nature of 2023, highlighting the upgrading of welds in the main secondary circuit and the successful completion of overall requalification tests. Looking ahead to 2024, he anticipates an exceptional year, expressing eagerness to witness the alternator producing its initial kilowatt-hours on the grid.

Following the Flamanville EPR’s commissioning date, EDF also revealed electricity production forecasts for 2026, projected to be “between 335 and 365 TWh.” These forecasts do not yet account for Flamanville 3’s production, as it will still be in the testing phase. Production estimates for 2024 and 2025 remain unchanged at “315-345 TWh for 2024 and 335-365 TWh for 2025.”■

By François Terminet (Sfen)
Photo Credit: Flamanville Power Plant, EDF