The cost of building a program of six new-generation EPR2 nuclear reactors is estimated at 51.7 billion euros, excluding financing costs, to which 4.6 billion would be added in the event of difficulty in implementation, indicates a government audit published on Friday 18 February.
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The commissioning of the first EPR2 is “planned for 2037”adds the audit, evoking “a total construction period of nearly 25 years, for a reactor operating life estimated by EDF at 60 years from their commissioning”.
The industrial construction program “not yet finalized, technical and economic uncertainties remain” and “the costing of the program like its schedule cannot be completely stabilized”however, underlines the report published by Matignon and available on the website of the Ministry of Ecological Transition.
Six reactors announced
The report also addresses the issue of waste generated by this project. “The waste that would be produced by new EPR2 type reactors is similar to that already produced by the operation of the current fleet”, he notes. Regarding the fate of the most radioactive, “at this stage, no redhibitory elements have been identified for their reception in the Cigeo center”the deep geological storage site under construction in the Meuse, according to the report.
However, it will take ” adjust “even “if necessary, reinforce or complete with operations on a larger scale” the maintenance strategy for Cigeo’s underground structures, depending on the results of monitoring and the duration of operation of the site.
Emmanuel Macron announced on February 10 the upcoming construction of six EPR2 reactors and a reflection to set up eight additional ones. This announcement came as the commissioning of the Flammanville EPR was once again delayed a month earlier. The work around this reactor will have cost almost 10 billion euros more than the invoice initially presented. It should not be operational before 2024.