I/II. http://www.wsj.com/articles/areva-finds-flaws-in-new-nuclear-reactor-1428408394
EUROPEAN BUSINESS NEWS Areva Finds Flaws in New Nuclear Reactor French nuclear project has suffered big delays and cost overruns The construction site of the Pressurized Water Reactor in Flamanville, France, in February 2014. The project has suffered big delays and cost overruns. ENLARGE The construction site of the Pressurized Water Reactor in Flamanville, France, in February 2014. The project has suffered big delays and cost overruns. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES By INTI LANDAURO Updated April 7, 2015 9:39 a.m. ET PARIS--French nuclear engineering firm Areva SA discovered flawed steel in a crucial part of the nuclear reactor it is building in Flamanville, northern France, the country's nuclear safety regulator said Tuesday. The announcement is a further blow for Areva as it struggles to stay afloat after reporting four consecutive annual losses caused by bad investment decisions, costly delays in the construction of reactors such as the one at Flamanville and another in Finland. The company has also been hurt by changing international attitudes toward nuclear power, especially following the 2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan. Areva will carry out further tests on the reactor this month after finding that steel in its vessel, which is designed to contain the nuclear reactor, showed high carbon content, leading to lower mechanical strength. The vessel has already been installed on the site, according to a spokesman for state-controlled power utility Electricité de France SA, which commissioned the reactor. The results of those tests will be released in October, French Energy Minister Segolene Royal said. The construction site of the reactor in Flamanville, France, on November 6, 2014. ENLARGE The construction site of the reactor in Flamanville, France, on November 6, 2014. PHOTO: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES The French government, which controls more than 85% of Areva, is considering merging parts of the company with its main client, the power utility Electricite de France SA. Areva is building the Flamanville reactor for EDF. It had already suffered a series of incidents that led the two companies to delay its completion by more than three years to 2017. EDF recently estimated that its construction costs had skyrocketed to EURO 8 billion ($8.7 billion) from an original estimate of EURO 3.3 billion. The French regulator said it would forward the report on the vessel's flaws to countries with similar projects. Areva is currently building a reactor of the same design in Olkiluoto, Finland. That too is also suffering massive delays and cost overruns. An Areva spokeswoman said the vessel is installed in the Finland project and that the country's regulator has approved the parts there. II. http://www.power-technology.com/news/newsareva-finds-flawed-steel-in-reactor-vessel-of-nuclear-plant-in-france-4549065 Areva finds flawed steel in reactor vessel of nuclear plant in France 8 April 2015 Areva has found weaker steel in a key part of the reactor vessel of a nuclear plant that it is building in Normandy, France. The Flamanville European Pressurised Reactor's (EPR) is being built for EDF. Its completion is delayed by over three years to 2017 as Areva suffered a series of incidents. The costs involved in the construction of the EPR have increased from the initial estimate of EURO 3.3bn to EURO 8bn. When completed, the 1,650MW EPR reactor will contain atomic fuel and prevent radioactivity escaping, according to the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN). "The costs involved in the construction of the EPR have increased from the initial estimate of EURO 3.3bn to EURO 8bn." During chemical and mechanical tests in a vessel similar to the one installed in Normandy, manufacturing anomalies were found. Upon completion of the initial tests, Areva found that one of the criteria was not met in an area with greater than average carbon content. EDF and Areva are working to perform additional tests on the EPR as soon as possible, following approval by the ASN on the test conditions, and to provide the safety authority with all the necessary information to demonstrate the safety and quality of the corresponding equipment. According to ASN, Chinese and Finnish regulators have been warned after the discovery of weaker steel as Areva is developing an EPR in Finland and EDF is working with Chinese companies to develop two at Taishan in China. Image: Computer designed picture of the planned European Pressurized Water Reactor (EPR). Photo: courtesy of Framatome ANP / Wikipedia. -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
