PARIS (Reuters) – French nuclear operator EDF will have to assess several technical challenges during the review period for a lifespan extension to 60 years for its nuclear fleet, watchdog ASN said in a press release on Wednesday.
ASN is asking the French power giant to address the mechanical resistance of certain portions of the main pipes of the primary circuit for several reactors and analyze feedback from an earthquake around the Cruas plant in 2019.
Other factors, such as the expected effects of climate change and the operation of facilities for the different stages of the fuel lifecycle, will also need to be addressed, the press release said.
EDF said the group was currently looking into the questions raised by the watchdog and was confident in its ability to meet the safety conditions necessary for the continued operation of all its reactors past 50 years.
Particular attention is being paid to the four Cruas reactors near a geological fault, and the conclusion may lead to a specific approach for the extension of these reactors, the group said.
The piping components ASN are concerned with are difficult to adjust or fix, as they connect the primary circuit to the reactor vessel, exposing workers to high doses of radiation.
EDF said it was working on automating a mechanical process in case an intervention is needed.
(Reporting by Forrest Crellin and Benjamin Mallet; Editing by Mark Porter and Mark Potter)
