nuclear-news

France’s troubled fleet of EDF nuclear reactors

Six weeks left to bring back reactors says EDF, Oct 17, 2012
* One third of EDF’s nuclear power fleet still offline

* Europe faces more fragile supply context this year

* RTE could be forced to clip some demand during peak use

Reuters, By Marion Douet MONTESQUIEU-DES-ALBERES, France, Oct 17 – French state-owned utility only has six weeks left to ensure its troubled fleet of nuclear power reactors is capable of producing enough electricity to cope with winter demand, the French power grid’s head said on Wednesday.

Around a third of EDF’s 58 nuclear reactors — which are on average 26 years old — have been offline since April due to a maintenance, problems restarting some of the ageing reactors and unexpected outages.

This has led to questions over the energy company’s ability to adequately supply its customers in time this winter with supply already been hit by hitches at French and Belgium reactors……

November 6, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, France