| EDF chooses site for new reactor | | Print | |
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Electricité de France (EDF), the French state utility, announced yesterday that Flamanville has been selected as the site for France's first European Pressurised Water Reactor (EPR) unit. The town on the English Channel west of Cherbourg, which already hosts two 1330 megawatt pressurised water reactors (PWRs), met the specific technical criteria to host the project. Pierre Gadonneix, the Chairman of EDF, made the announcement following consultation with the EDF Board of Directors. The matter will now be referred to the French National Public Debate Commission as required by law. The other two sites considered were Penly, near Dieppe,and Tricastin on the River Rhone in Southern France. Flamanville was chosen for its available land reserves, adequate electricity-transmission capacity and ability to host the work site. There was also a broad local consensus that the project should be hosted at Flamanville as it would provide a boost to the local economy. The EPR is designed by Areva-Siemens subsidiary Framatome ANP and it is the same type as Finland's new reactor. Gadonneix hailed the occasion, saying "Launching the EPR will contribute to ensuring Europe's energy independence in the coming decades. Eventually its (nuclear power) production park and to so in a competitive way. It will strengthen EDF's technological edge and will be a technological showcase for export markets." |
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