nuclear-news

Crack in piping of Penly nuclear reactor further complicates EDF’s situation.

Unlike the microcracks detected on other reactors (such as those of Chooz,
in the Ardennes, and Civaux, in Vienne, 1,450 MW, the most powerful and
most recent), the defect observed at Penly is described as particularly
important:

the ASN describes a crack extending over 155 millimeters (mm),
“that is approximately a quarter of the circumference of the piping”.
The nuclear policeman adds that its maximum depth is 23 mm, for a pipe
thickness of 27 mm.

Although the Penly 1 reactor had already been
identified as being among the most sensitive to the phenomenon of stress
corrosion, this portion of the circuit in particular was considered
“non-sensitive” by EDF, due to its geometry. The licensee, like ASN,
considers that the presence of corrosion could be explained by the double
repair to which the piping was subjected during the construction of the
reactor.

 Time News 8th March 2023

March 10, 2023 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | France, safety