30 Jan (NucNet): A second European Pressurised Water Reactor (EPR) is to be built in France, president Nicolas Sarkozy announced last night.

Construction of Areva�s 1,600-megawatt third generation reactor unit is expected to start in 2012 at the existing Penly nuclear power plant site in northern France, which houses two pressurised water reactor units.

The new unit is expected to start operation by 2017. It will be the fifth EPR construction project initiated worldwide after those at Olkiluoto in Finland, Flamanville in France and Taishan-1 and -2 in China.

France�s Areva group today welcomed Mr Sarkozy�s announcement. The EPR reactor design had been selected for its economic and environmental performance and for a level of safety �unmatched in the market today�, Areva said.

A project management company will be established by Electricite de France (EDF) as a majority shareholder with GDF Suez and will be open to other investment partners. EDF will present details of the project for public debate in the coming weeks.

In December 2007, EDF announced the start of construction of the first EPR in France, Flamanville-3 in Normandy.

In February 2008, US nuclear regulators accepted for review an application to certify Areva�s US Evolutionary Power Reactor (US EPR) design.

The EPR is also one of the reactor designs submitted to UK regulators for generic design assessment as part of that country�s plans for nuclear new build.

� by John Shepherd

>>Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers)

EDF Says European Reactor Site �Still Undecided� (News No. 371, 2 December 2002)

Areva And EDF Unveil UK EPR Design For Public Comment (News No. 207, 10 September 2007)

Construction Begins Of Flamanville-3 Nuclear Block (News in Brief No. 42, 4 December 2007)

The NucNet database currently contains more than 13,000 reports published since 1991. To subscribe or ask for any further information email info@worldnuclear.org

Source: NucNet

Editor: editors@worldnuclear.org