Nuclear: France wants to extend the life of power plants up to 60 years, is it possible?

• François Bayrou recalled France on Tuesday’s desire to extend the life of the nuclear fleet at “50 years, even 60 years”.
• While some power plants have already received an authorization to operate beyond 40 years, the initial duration provided for during their construction, for the others, it will depend on the result of their ten-year visit.
• A real issue because the first pair of EPR 2 will only work in 2038 at best.

The sentence appears well in the elements of François Bayrou’s speech sent by Matignon to journalists, but the Prime Minister did not mention it Tuesday when he speaned on the budget. “”France will extend the life of the nuclear fleet to 50 years, or even 60 years“, we read in this document.”This is the goal“, Confirms Matignon. In fact, Emmanuel Macron had mentioned the subject in February 2023, requesting the launch of studies”allowing to prepare the extension of the lifespan of existing power plants at 60 years“, and even”beyond“, said the Élysée at the time.

Because to produce electricity, France faces a subject of calendar. At the start of the nuclear program, the hypothesis chosen for the lifespan of the reactors was 40 years. Even if the authorization to create a nuclear installation given by the government was issued without limitation of duration, with the exception of a compulsory exam every 10 years.

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However, the reactors of the French park having, for the most part, been built at the same period, this deadline has, for some, already passed, and arrives very quickly for others (around 2030, 2040 for the last built reactors). After having procrastinated, and delayed, say the nuclear defenders – the last multi -annual programming law provided for the closure of 12 reactors, or Fessenheim – France finally acted the revival of nuclear. But the construction of six EPR 2 will take time: the first pair will not be put into service at best in 2038 in Bugey, in Ain.

In Drôme, Tricastin already authorized to exceed 40 years

The only solution, therefore, apart from the development of renewable and hydraulic energies: prolong the lifespan of existing reactors. With a central subject: the safety of the nuclear fleet. A large fairing program was launched in 2014 by EDF to undertake renovation work and increase the level of safety of aging power plants. This work, for example, made the extension of the lifespan of the Tricastin power station, in Drôme, commissioned in February 1980.

In this area, it is the Nuclear and Radiation Protection Authority (ASNR) that is responsible for validating the continuation of activities on these sites every ten years. In 2021, she voted on the general conditions of the extension of the 32 reactors of 900 MWE, then in early July, she spoke on those allowing to extend the lifespan of the 20 reactors of 1,300 MWE. “”ASNR considers that all of the provisions provided by EDF and those it prescribes open up the prosecution of the operation of these reactors for the ten years following their fourth periodic re -examination“, We read in this opinion.

An extension decided reactor by reactor

All the power plants that will be in condition to do so during the next ten -year control – as an example, the next ten -year visit is planned for the Paluel (Seine -Maritime) site in early 2026 – will be granted, after public inquiry, a new operating authorization for ten years. “”This work will therefore be reactor by reactor and will spread until 2040 for the last reactors“, Specifies the ASNR.”We do not change the general security frameworkinsists Bercy. The individual situation of each reactor will be evaluated by the security authority every 10 years.”

No question of taking risks, of course. To modernize the power plants, it is notably necessary to launch work to adapt to climate change. THE “consequences of climatic developments“will have to be”more anticipated“, Consumes the security authority.

Climate change, tanks and waste

Because the power plants, which pump water in the rivers for the cooling of the reactors, before rejecting it, are subject to limits on the water temperature at the site output. In the event of a heat wave, some reactors must sometimes lower their electricity production so as not to exceed these limits. However, these extreme episodes will increase in the future.

In addition, the extension of the life of the power stations requires a large project on the choice of uranium reprocessing used and the treatment of waste.

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Then, EDF must also demonstrate that the reactor tanks, an element that is not replaceable in a reactor, can see their lifespan extended. However, they are subject to irradiation and weaken over time. It can also arise from unmanned problems, such as corrosion under the constraint of part of the pipes which had led to the stop of half of the nuclear park during the winter of 2022.

And after 60 years? In the United States, the lifespan of six reactors, based on similar technologies, has been extended up to 80 years. In France, the subject is already on the table.