POWER STATIONS: ASN is asking for more checks, which will lengthen the duration of shutdowns at certain Nuclear power station sites
We press pause. A larger-than-expected crack has been detected by EDF at Penly 1 on an emergency pipe used to flood the reactor with water in the event of a nuclear accident. This will lead to the extension of stops at other sites for checks.
“There are not going to be massive shutdowns of the reactors for months, but it will have an impact in terms of the duration of the shutdowns,” Julien Collet, deputy director general of the Nuclear Safety Authority, told AFP ( ASN).
“Last year, we had our first understanding of the stress corrosion phenomenon. EDF had highlighted a design subject on sensitive lines for 16 reactors”, engaging “a large-scale repair program”, recalls Julien Collet.
“We asked EDF to review its strategy, which was centered on reactors known to be sensitive due to the geometry of the lines and we are asking it to reprioritize the checks on repaired welds on all the reactors”, including the 900 MW, the largest and oldest series in the French fleet. The nuclear policeman awaits EDF ‘s revised strategy during the month of March.
