Should the lifespan of French nuclear power plants be extended?
EDF does not seem to exclude it.
Hearing Thursday at the National Assembly, Cédric Lewandowski, executive director of EDF in charge of the nuclear and thermal park, indicated that “
the question (was) on the table
”.
“
She is under science instruction at this point
,” he added.
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"
Today, the great scientific, technical and economic consensus is that our fleet is suitable for 60 years (...).
The question of the passage from 60 to 80 years requires a certain number of study works and therefore we are engaging them
, ”added the head of nuclear energy, former chief of staff of Jean-Yves Le Drian at the Quai d 'Orsay.
According to him, “
the 80 years, it is not a taboo
”.
Cédric Lewandowski is based on the American example.
"
Six reactors in the United States have been licensed to operate for up to 80 years and our technologies happen to be roughly similar
," he told MPs during hearings on "
reasons for France's loss of sovereignty and energy independence
".
The 60 years not acquired, according to the ASN
If EDF indicates on its site that its nuclear power plants "
are designed to be operated for at least 40 years
", and if the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) has authorized the extension of the oldest reactors up to 50 years, the energy company now expects a lifespan of 60 years.
This is also the reference trajectory of the RTE network manager in its scenarios for the “
2050 energy futures
”, which at the same time envisages the extension of certain reactors beyond 60 years.
Read alsoNuclear: the government finally decides to accelerate
“
It is the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) that will decide whether our facilities are able to pass this 60-year milestone
,” said Minister for Energy Transition Agnès Pannier-Runacher on January 11 before the senators.
Last December, the ASN warned EDF about the milestone of 50 years, which the oldest reactors will reach from 2030. The authority, through the voice of its director general Olivier Gupta, called the energy company to work to provide proof that its reactors will be able to be extended beyond 50 years.