European pressurized reactors and construction difficulties

 European Pressurized Reactors and construction difficulties
,
The next generation design for French reactors will be the European pressurized reactor (EPR) which will have a broader scope than France alone, with pilot plant in Finland undergoing construction activities extending to U.S. and China. The first French EPR is under construction at the Flamanville nuclear power plant, and should be operational zed by 2013.The second EPR reactor will be built at Penly in France and completion scheduled to 2017.

This reactor is one of the newest designs in the world. It was developed by Areva contributing its N4 reactor technology and German company Siemens contributing its Konvoi reactor technology in keeping with French approach of highly standardized plants and proven technology. It uses traditional active safety systems and is more similar to  current plant design than international competitors such as AP 1000 or the ESBWR.

Olkiluoto-3 pilot power plant

The construction of the Olkiluoto power plant commenced in August 2005. It was initially schedule to go on line in 2009, but the project has suffered many delays, and operation is now expected to start 2013 or 2014. It is still expected to be first EPR reactor built and the first generation 111+ reactor to be built in the world. The construction is joint effort of French Areva and German Siemens AG thorough their common subsidiary Areva NP for Finish  operator TVD. The initial cost estimate were about 3.7 billion euros, but there were additional cost over-run of 2.7 billion euros at June 2010. The plant will have an electrical power plant out put of 1600MWe (net)

Progress of plant

In May 2006 construction delays of about one year were announced, following quality control problems across the construction. In part the delays were  due to lack of oversight of sub-contractors inexperienced in the nuclear construction. The delays lead to disappointing results for Areva NP. It blamed delays on the Finish approach to approving technical documentation and designs.

In 2006 TVD announced construction was about 18 months behind schedule so completion was now expected 2010-2011, and were reports Areva was preparing to take 500 million euros charge on its accounts for delay.

At the end of June 2007 it was reported that, the Finish radiation and nuclear safety authority had found a number of safety related design and manufacturing deficiencies.  In August  2007 a further construction delay up to a year was reported associated with construction problems in reinforcing the reactor buildings to withstand an air plane crash, and timely supply of adequate documentation to Finish authorities .

September 2007 Areva reported a construction delays of at least two years and costs more than 25 % over budget. The cost over-runs range up to 1.5 billion euros and after that Areva reported further delay giving expected on line date 2012.

As on 2009 the plant was at least three and half years behind schedule and 50 per cent over budget. Areva  and utility involved are bitter dispute over who will bear the cost of over -run and there is a real risk now that the utility will default. In August 2009 Areva announced 550 millions euros additional provisions for the build, taking plant costs to 5.3 billion euros and wiped out interim operating profits for first half of year 2009.

The dome of containment structure was topped out in September 2009. 90 percent procurement 80 per cent of engineering works and 73 per cent of civil works were completed. In June  2010 Areva announced 400 million euros further provisions taking cost our-run to 2.7 billion euros. The time scale operation slipped to early 2013.

Flamanville -3(second EPR  UNIT)

First concrete was poured for demonstration EPR reactor at Flamanville nuclear power plant on December 6, 2007. This will be the third unit on site  and the second EPR over constructed. Electrical out put will be 1630 Mwe ( net) and project involves around 3.3 billion euros of capital expenditure from EDF(Electricite  De France).

. From October 19, 2005 to February 2006 the project was submitted to a national public debate.

. May 2006 EDF board approved the construction .

.. In December 2007 construction of unit itself began

 .In May 2009 professor Stephen Thomas reported that after 18 months construction delays and after series of quality control problems the project is more than 20 percent over budget and EDF is struggling to keep it in schedule


 In 2010 EDF announced that costs had increased 50 per cent to 5 billion Euros and commissioning delayed by about two years to 2014.

Progress

In April 2008 the French nuclear safety agency reported that a quarter of welds inspected in secondary containment steel liner are not accordance with norms and cracks have found in construction base. EDF Stated that progress is being made on these issues raised very early construction ,however on 21 May ASN ordered suspension of concrete pouring on this site. A month later concreting work resumed after ASN accepted EDF correction action plan which included external oversight checks.

In August 2010 the regulator ASN reported further welding problems on the secondary containment steel liner.

Taishan 1&2 in China

In 2006 there was a bidding process to build four new EPR reactors in china, and intent to market EPRs  in the United States with Constellation  Energy in April 2006 Areva SA lost this bid in favor of Westinghouse Electric Company to build four AP 1000 reactors because of its refusal to transfer the expertise and knowledge to China. In February 2007 Areva won  another deal worth about 5 billion euros for two other nuclear reactors located in Taishan Guangdong province in southern China in spite of sticking to its previous conditions. French President Nicolas Sarkozy  signed 12  billion dollars deal that will allow the third and four EPRs units to be constructed in China.

Progress

The construction of the first reactor at Taishan started officially on 18th November 2009 and second  on 15th April 2010. Construction of each unit planned to take 46 months significantly faster and cheaper than first two EPR in Finland and France. 

India

Nuclear Power corporation of India (NPCIL) signed agreement with Areva to set up two 1650 MWe  reactors at Jaithapur in Maharashtra state. Environmental clearance was received for EPRs for setting up nuclear reactors.

With above construction problems it is quite evident Areva EPR generation 111+ reactors yet to commence its nuclear reactors in any where in the world. The construction cost over-run may decide unfavorable for any Asian countries further investing in generation 111+ reactors. It is quite  un sure that generation 111+ nuclear reactor technology is affordable and is not successfully operational any where globally even  Westinghouse generation 111+ AP 1000 reactors.

Hence it is generally requested that Areva and Westinghouse sort out construction quality control problems and operational problems and see that these generation111+ reactor plants are put into operation  before Asian countries like China and India should have second thought on planning further  these advanced reactors as China and India aggressively planning to have more advanced reactors to reduce green house gases and reduce dependency on excavating  global oil prices.

The era of cheap oil finished . Nuclear power is more than ever an industry of future and energy. Each EPR saves 2 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year when it replaces gas fired power plant and 11 million tons of CO2 per year when it replaces a coal power plant.

Nuclear is safe and clean source of energy.