Nuclear Power Plants in France
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Belleville Location: Cher Operator: Électricité de France Configuration: 2 X 1,363 MW PWR Operation: 1987-1988 Reactor supplier: Framatome T/G supplier: Alstom EPC: EDF, GTM Quick facts: Belleville is on the Loire River. The plant was authorized in Nov 1978.
Photograph courtesy of Autorite de Surete Nucleaire |
Cattenom Location: Moselle Operator: Électricité de France Configuration: 4 X 1,362 MW PWR Operation: 1986-1991 Reactor supplier: Framatome T/G supplier: Alsthom EPC: EDF, Spie-Batignolles, Dumez Quick facts: Cattenom is on the Moselle River. The site was approved in 1978 although opposed by the Luxembourg government. The site was formerly used as the garrison for one of the infantry regiments responsible for defendinh the Maginot Line which traversed the area. Makeup for the cooling towers is from a purpose-built reservoir known as Lake Mirgenbach in the Vosges Mountains.
Photograph by Stefan Kuhn |
Chinon Location: Indre-et-Loire Operator: Électricité de France Configuration: "A" 1 X 70 MW, 1 X 180 MW, 1 X 400 MW GCR, "B" 4 X 954 MW PWR Operation: 1964-1988 Reactor supplier: Framatome T/G supplier: Alsthom EPC: EDF, GTM Quick facts: Chinon A1 "La Boule" was the launch EDF reactor in France, Two more GCRs were built at the A Plant, Unit-A2 retired in 1985 and Unit-A3 in 1990. The large circular mechanical draft cooling towers are unique in France. Makeup is from the Loire River. La Boule is now le Musée de l'Atome.
Photograph by Marc Morceau and courtesy of EDF |
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Chooz-B Location: Ardennes Operator: Électricité de France Configuration: 2 X 1,560 MW PWR Operation: 1998-2000 Reactor supplier: Framatome T/G supplier: Alstom EPC: EDF, Bouygues Quick facts: EDF chose this site on the Franco-Belgian border in the early 1960s as it was close to high-voltage transmission lines to Belgium. Chooz-A (310 MW) began operations in Apr 1967 as the first PWR using a design based on the Yankee Rowe plant. The unit was shutdown in Nov 1991 and in Apr 2010, Westinghouse Electric was awarded a contract to provide reactor vessel dismantling services. The project is expected to take 6½ yrs to complete. The "B" plant was built in partnership with the Belgian utilities Electrabel and SPE.
Photograph courtesy of www.ct24.cz |
Civaux Location: Vienne Operator: Électricité de France Configuration: 2 X 1,561 MW PWR Operation: 1998-2000 Reactor supplier: Framatome T/G supplier: Alstom EPC: EDF, Bouygues Quick facts: The sister N4 units at Chooz-B and Civaux are the largest nuclear generating units in the world. The Civaux units were authorized in 1986 and approved for construction in 1998. Unit-1 went commercial in Aug 1999. The plant reportedly cost $4.1bn. The Arabelle turbines are 51.2m long, 12.8m wide, and weigh 2,810t. The cooling towers are 180m and 153m in diameter at the base.
Photograph courtesy of Omega Concept |
Cruas Location: Ardeche Operator: Électricité de France Configuration: 4 X 956 MW PWR Operation: 1983-1984 Reactor supplier: Framatome T/G supplier: Alsthom EPC: EDF, Campenon-Bernard Quick facts: Cruas is on the Rhone River between Valence and Montelimar. Construction started in 1976. The painting entitled Aquarius on one half of one of the cooling towers is the work of Jean-Marie Pierret and was painted with the assistance of 9 climbers. The work took 4,000l of paint and took about 8,000hrs to complete. It was inaugurated in 2005.
Photograph by theisencamille (Panoramio) |
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Flamanville Location: Basse-Normandie Operator: Électricité de France Configuration: 2 X 1,382 MW PWR Operation: 1985-1986 Reactor supplier: Framatome T/G supplier: Alstom Quick facts: Flamanville is on the Contentin Peninsula. In part, the plant site consisted of an old granite quarry, then an ion ore mine, which was in operation until 1962. The NPP site is 120ha, half of which is reclaimed land.
Photograph courtesy of Electricite de France |
Flamanville-3 Location: Basse-Normandie Operator: Électricité de France Configuration: 1 X 1,750 MW PWR Operation: 2014 Reactor supplier: Areva T/G supplier: Alstom EPC: Areva, Alstom, Bouygues Quick facts: Flamanville is the launch site for the EPR reactor in France. Site preparation began in 2003, the EDF Board of Director approved the project in May 2006, and the reactor was ordered Jan 2007, the 100th reactor ordered from Framatome (Areva). ASN licensed the unit in March 2007 and first concrete for the power block was placed on 3 Dec 2007 to schedule. The original estimated cost of the new unit was €3.3bn. The schedule later slipped about 2yrs while the estimated cost was raised to about €5bn. Enel SpA has a 12.5% stake in Flamanville-3.
Photograph courtesy of Autorite de Surete Nuclcaire (ASN) |
Golfech Location: Tarn-et-Garonne Operator: Électricité de France Configuration: 2 X 1,363 MW PWR Operation: 1991-1993 Reactor supplier: Framatome T/G supplier: Alstom Quick facts: Golfech is on the Tarn River between Agen and Toulouse. Site development dates to 1965, but the project was deferred until reactivated in 1973. In 1978, the site was released for construction of four 1,300-MW reactors but only two were eventually built. The first unit went commercial on 1 Feb 1991.
Photograph by John Seb Barber (wikimedia) |
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Gravelines Location: Nord Operator: Électricité de France Configuration: 6 X 951 MW PWR Operation: 1980-1985 Reactor supplier: Framatome T/G supplier: Alsthom EPC: EDF, Societe General d'Enterprises Quick facts: Gravelines is on the North Sea coast near the mouth of the As River 21km east of Calais. It is the largest NPP In western Europe and the 3rd largest in the world. In 2008, plant output was 37.6 TWh. Part of the cooling water discharge is routed to local aquaculture facilities.
Photograph by Douchet Quentin (wikimedia) |
Marcoule G1 Location: Gard Operator: Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique (CEA) Configuration: 1 X 5 MW GCR Operation: 1956 (ret 1968) Reactor supplier: SACM T/G supplier: ?? Quick facts: This was a prototype of the French Uranium Naturel Graphite Gas (UNGG) reactor, a gas-cooled design developed in parallel to the Magnox reactors in the UK. Ten larger units were built, including Vandellos-1 in Spain, the only example outside France reactor gas. The G1 reactor was completed on 7 Jan 1956 after 18mos of construction. It was shutdown in 1968. La "cheminée" a 100m ventilation stack at the G1 reactor that was a site landmark, was demolished on 9 Jul 2003 following two years of preparation.
Photograph courtesy of Archives de France |
Marcoule G2 & G3 Location: Gard Operator: Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique (CEA), COGEMA Configuration: 2 X 43 MW GCR Operation: 1959 (ret 1984) Reactor supplier: SACM T/G supplier: Rateau Quick facts: There were the next two UNGG reactors and were mostly used for plutonium production. Level 2 decommissioning status was achieved in 1997. Marcoule is planned to be the site for Astrid, a prototype, 600-MW Generation IV sodium fast reactor. This may be built adjacent to the Phenix FBR by 2020.
Photograph by J M Taillat and courtesy of
Areva/CEA |
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Monts d'Arree Location: Finistere Operator: Électricité de France Configuration: 1 X 82 MW HWR Operation: 1967 (ret 1985) Reactor supplier: Groupement pour les Activites Atomiques et Avancees T/G supplier: Compagnie Electro-mechanique de Montage Quick facts: Construction of this experimental heavy-water, CO2-cooled reactor started on 1 Jul 1962. Criticality was on 23 Dec 1966 and the plant went commercial on 1 Jun 1968. The unit was shutdown on 31 Jul 1985 and is being decommissioned at an estimated cost of €482mn. Also known as Brennilis.
Photograph by Loic (wikimedia) |
Nogent Location: Aube Operator: Électricité de France Configuration: 2 X 1,363 MW PWR Operation: 1987-1988 Reactor supplier: Framatome T/G supplier: Alstom Photograph by
Guillaume Lemarshal and courtesy of EDF
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Paluel Location: Seine-Maritime Operator: Électricité de France Configuration: 4 X 1,382 MW PWR Operation: 1985-1986 Reactor supplier: Framatome T/G supplier: Alsthom EPC: EDF, Campenon-Bernard Quick facts: Paluel is 30km southwest of Dieppe. The plant was ordered in Jul 1975.
Photograph by Patrick S Dupont (Panoramio)
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Penly Location: Seine-Maritime Operator: Électricité de France Configuration: 2 X 1,382 MW PWR Operation: 1990-1992 Reactor supplier: Framatome T/G supplier: Alstom Quick facts: Penly is expected to be the site of the second French EPR. This could go online in 2017.
Photograph courtesy of Sité des Informations Dieppoises
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Phénix Location: Gard Operator: Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique (CEA) Configuration: 1 X 250 MW FBR Operation: 1973 (ret 2009) Reactor supplier: CEM T/G supplier: CEM EPC: CEM, Societe General d'Enterprises Quick facts: When closed on 6 Mar 2009, this was the last commercial-scale fast breeder reactor in Europe. Phénix was developed at the Marcoul site as a prototype fast breeder. EDF had a 20% stake in the plant and was responsible for power generation end. The reactor had been operating at about 140 MWe for 10yrs, but its key function was as a R&D facility for radionuclide transmutation tests.
Photograph by A Gonin and courtesy of CEA |
Saint-Laurent-A Location: Alsace Operator: Électricité de France Configuration: 1 X 390 MW, 1 X 450 MW GCR Operation: 1969-1971 (ret) Reactor supplier: Framatome T/G supplier: Alsthom EPC: EDF, Grand Trauaux de Marseille Quick facts: The A units were retired in 1990 and 1992, respectively. Unit-A1 went commercial in Jan 1969. In Oct 1969, there was a partial fuel meltdown in one of the fuel channels caused by operator error during online refueling. Several modifications were made to the refueling system and the reactor was repaired and restarted about a year later.
Photograph by Clicgauche (wikimedia) |
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Saint-Laurent-B Location: Alsace Operator: Électricité de France Configuration: 2 X 956 MW PWR Operation: 1981 Reactor supplier: Framatome T/G supplier: Alsthom EPC: EDF, Grand Trauaux de Marseille Quick facts: Saint-Laurent is on the Loire about 30km downstream from Orleans
Photograph by Nitot (wikimedia)
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Superphénix Location: Isère Operator: Centrale Nucleaire Europeene a Neutrons Rapides SA (Nersa) Configuration: 1 X 1,242 MW FBR Operation: 1986 (ret 1998) Reactor supplier: Novatome T/G supplier: Ansaldo EPC: Nersa Quick facts: This was the world's largest fast breeder reactor and was designed for power generation. The site is on the Rhone River not far from the Swiss border. Design work began in 1968 as construction started on the Phénix plant. Construction on Superphénix was approved in 1972 and got underway in 1974. The reactor was connected to the grid in Jan 1986. Plagued by technical problems and growing political opposition, it operated intermittently for years – generating a total of 8 TWh – and was finally shutdown in Dec 1998. The total investment was about €9.1bn. Nersa is 51% owned by EDF.
Photograph by Yann Forget |
Tricastin Location: Drome Operator: Électricité de France Configuration: 4 X 955 MW PWR Operation: 1983-1984 Reactor supplier: Framatome T/G supplier: Alsthom EPC: EDF, Campenon-Bernard Quick facts: This plant it in St-Paul-Trois-Chateaux on the right bank floodway of the Rhone. In 2007, Tricastin put out a plant record 27.07 TWh. The power station is on a 600ha site which houses the world's largest concentration of commercial nuclear companies and facilities in the world including Areva's George-Besse enrichment plant (Eurodif) and the Comurhex conversion plant. In total, the nuclear industry employs 6,000 people at the Tricastin complex.
Photograph courtesy of easydep.com
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Data: industcards, Platts UDI World Electric Power Plants Data Base
Updated 07/31/10