Construction of new nuclear reactors: where, when, how? Here are the tracks – actu.fr

No details, but a statement: “We will, for the first time in decades, relaunch the construction of nuclear reactors in our country », Assured Emmanuel Macron during his televised address this Tuesday, November 9, 2021.

For the first time in decades, we are going to relaunch the construction of nuclear reactors in our country and continue to develop renewable energies. pic.twitter.com/qKjTiNy0dl

– Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) November 9, 2021

Currently, France is building only one reactor, that of Flamanville.

This decision is taken at a time when energy prices are soaring, in the middle of the COP26 and while France is committed to achieving carbon neutrality in 2015. However, the president is clear:

If we want to pay for our energy at reasonable rates and not depend on foreign countries, we must both continue to save energy and invest in the production of carbon-free energy on our soil.

And for him, the solution lies in nuclear power, which will also make it possible “to guarantee energy independence, the electricity supply of our countries and to achieve our objectives, in particular carbon neutrality”.

But many gray areas remain around these new reactors.

What type of reactor?

These are EPR2, new generation reactors of 1,700 megawatt hours which must be installed in France in the years to come. “We proposed that a first step be to build six reactors”, Jean-Bernard Lévy, CEO of EDF, reminded AFP.

A scenario that fits with the EDF universal registration document, which in 2020, planned to submit to the government “a complete proposal for the realization of a program of construction of three pairs of EPR2”.

This Wednesday, November 10, at our colleagues from France Inter, the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire, however, remained elusive.

How many will it take? Is it 6? Is it 8? Is it 10? I can’t tell you, (…) it will depend on the level of ambition we set for ourselves.

For his part, the government spokesperson, Gabriel Attal said on franceinfo that the president would speak in the coming weeks to give “details both of a technical nature – the type of reactor – and of the schedule”.

Nuclear power stations: “Those who explain to you that we could do without nuclear power, they forget that it will be necessary to relaunch coal-fired power stations or to light up by candlelight”, declares Gabriel Attal, spokesperson for the government pic.twitter.com/kouXOziqpE

– franceinfo (@franceinfo) November 10, 2021

How long does it take to build a nuclear reactor?

The science is not quite accurate. With regard to the Flamanville EPR site, started in 2007 and not yet completed (10 years behind the initial schedule), the question is legitimate. “Flamanville is a prototype”, also recalled Gabriel Attal leaving the Council of Ministers on Wednesday.

EPR2s are supposed to be easier to build. During a hearing in the Senate, the president of EDF, Jean-Bernard Levy, “delighted” after the announcements of Emmanuel Macron, reassured:

EDF has worked a lot with the nuclear industry to be able to say that we are ready.

In its report on the future of electricity in France, RTE, electricity manager, had planned three scenarios with new nuclear reactors. It provided, at the latest, a first commissioning in 2035. Since then, the forecasts are down: the first coupling to the electrical network could only intervene in 2040.

Where could these new reactors be built?

In the proposal for the construction of six EPRs made by EDF to the government, three sites have already been selected: these are Penly (Seine-Maritime), Gravelines (North) and finally another in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, either in Bugey (Ain) either The Tricastin (Drome).

In addition to the industrial challenge, the Court of Auditors pointed out last year the “major” financial stake of such a program, quantifying the construction cost of six new generation EPRs at 46 billion euros. A figure that is increasing, since it is now estimated between 52 and 57 billion euros by the State.

Energy independent? Carbon neutral?

Emmanuel Macron said: “To guarantee our energy independence and achieve our objectives, in particular carbon neutrality in 2050, we will, for the first time in decades, relaunch the construction of nuclear reactors. It’s not that obvious.

France’s energy independence rate is around 54% in 2019. But this is primary energy, not final energy, transformed and ready to be consumed.

“France’s rate of energy independence, when we talk about final energy, is between 30 and 35%,” explains Andreas Rüdinger, researcher at the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (Iddri).

Today, 65% of our final energy consumption comes from imported fossil fuels. Electricity corresponds to approximately 24% of our final energy consumed.

While 70% of our electricity consumption comes from nuclear power, it only represents 17% of the final energy consumed. In the scenario of RTE with the largest share of nuclear power, it would only represent 25% in 2050.

If atomic energy will have a role in energy independence, it will only have a limited part. For Andreas Rüdinger, “if we want to achieve energy sovereignty and carbon neutrality, we must develop above all renewable energies and energy efficiency with the aim of halving our consumption by 2050 ”.

With AFP

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