The Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) agrees that EDF resumes with a robot defective and difficult to access welds on the EPR site in Flamanville (Manche), she said on Monday.
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"
ASN has indicated that there is no objection to the initiation of welding operations for the 8 welds at the level of the enclosure crossings, following an investigation and checks on the technical and organizational aspects
" , a spokesperson for the nuclear gendarme told AFP.
These complex repairs involve eight welds that are difficult to access, located in the crossing of the containment, the large concrete structure which must retain the radioactive elements in the event of an accident.
EDF must in total take over a hundred welds, for which problems had been detected in 2018. For the eight most difficult, the group had favored the use of remotely operated robots in order to limit further delays and additional costs on this site which has known many.
“
The process was the subject of a full-scale mock-up test program.
ASN will remain vigilant during the operations phase
, ”continued the ASN spokesperson.
“
The teams are trained and the equipment is in place.
We are ready!
", For its part assured EDF in a tweet.
The welding case led EDF to announce in 2019 a further delay of at least three years for the EPR, where the loading of nuclear fuel is now expected at the end of 2022. “
Today we have no elements leading to doubt the schedule presented by EDF.
It's very tight, it's on the critical path.
If there is no new element, it seems possible,
”said ASN President Bernard Doroszczuk in January.
However, a new problem has recently emerged with other welds.
ASN thus informed in March of a “
design deviation concerning three taps on the main primary circuit
”.
The tapping corresponds to the part of a pipe which connects it to another or to a vessel.