In the race for mini-reactors, EDF is definitely not running in the lead. Its flagship project, carried out in collaboration with TechnicAtome, the Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA), Framatome and Naval Group encounters technical difficulties such that it must be "deeply reoriented", indicates a source at EDF which confirms information published by "the Informed".
“A number of technological bricks are not sufficiently tested. We need to use more on-the-shelf solutions, or even forge partnerships, to be able to keep up with deadlines and budgets,” says another source.
A design that needs to evolve
“The EDF group has decided to develop the design of its SMR,” confirms the public group at the “Echos”. Designed to replace aging coal-fired power plants in many countries, EDF's small reactor is in fact a heavy goods vehicle in the category of new modular reactors (SMR or AMR).
With a capacity of 170 megawatts (or 340 megawatts for a typical power plant that has to combine two reactors), it relies on major innovations, including the design of plate steam generators to make it possible to miniaturize equipment. However, the latter do not currently exist on the market and present many design challenges.
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Stop the leak forward
Winner of the “France 2030” grant programme, the Nuward project has been much more massively equipped by the state than its competitors, who are also aiming at the placing on the market of mini-reactors. In detail, Nuward is to receive EUR 300 million in aid from EUR 25 million for Naarea and Newcleo. Unlike its competitors, EDF has also already embarked on a process of “pre-licencing” of its Nuward reactor with the Safety Authority. In December 2023, the group handed over its security options case. But all the cards now seem reshuffled.
This shift comes a few months after the internal extension of EDF studies on the cost and deadlines of the six EPR2s that the State has requested from the energy company. As the bill for this programme continues to swell, the group has decided to take more time for this time to fall right. In other words, EDF wants to break with the forward flight strategy which, for the previous EPRs, has been heavily criticised for it.
Another proposed smr fails. From EDF no less.
