Cracks of a few millimeters, almost undetectable, threaten to plunge France into darkness in January.
This phenomenon of "corrosion under stress" has silently weakened the emergency pipes at the heart of at least 16 EDF nuclear reactors.
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An industrial accident which was added to the heavy maintenance program of the power stations.
As a result today, the French nuclear fleet is currently only running at two-thirds of its capacity.
This is much less than during a usual winter and it is far from enough to spend the cold season serenely.
North American welders
Since September, EDF has been in a race against time to restart these reactors, a "
recovery
", they say in the sector.
Placed under strong pressure from the State, the operator had promised at the start of the school year to restart, in the space of five months, 26 out of 56 reactors, stopped for maintenance or repair.
Four months later, it is far from it.
Only ten of them have been reconnected.
"When you turn on a...
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