(Montel) EDF has cut its 2022 nuclear production target by almost 10% to 300-330 TWh following outages extensions at five of its 56 nuclear reactors (7.3 GW).
Previously, the French utility aimed to generate 330-360 TWh of atomic output this year.
The firm attributed the reduced production figure to outage extensions of up to nine months at its Civaux 1,2, Chooz 1,2 (1.5 GW each) and Penly 1 (1.3 GW) units due to ongoing checks on the pipes of their safety injection system (SIS) circuit, it said in a statement late on Thursday.
Last month, the firm unexpectedly shut down both its Chooz reactors for inspections following the discovery of cracks close to welding on the pipes at the Civaux plant.
Penly 1 affected
EDF said that preventive checks at Penly 1 revealed “similar defects on the SIS circuit”, Montel has reported.
The utility found the same issues at Chooz 2 and was looking for technical solutions.
EDF warned that checks will continue "until a full assement is completed".
It will also carry out inspections on the 51 other reactors of the French nuclear fleet, “taking into account the lessons learned from the first analysis.”
The firm, already EUR 42bn in debt, said it would analyse the financial impact of the outages.
The firm attributed the reduced production figure to outage extensions of up to nine months at its Civaux 1,2, Chooz 1,2 (1.5 GW each) and Penly 1 (1.3 GW) units due to ongoing checks on the pipes of their safety injection system (SIS) circuit, it said in a statement late on Thursday.
Last month, the firm unexpectedly shut down both its Chooz reactors for inspections following the discovery of cracks close to welding on the pipes at the Civaux plant.
Penly 1 affected
EDF said that preventive checks at Penly 1 revealed “similar defects on the SIS circuit”, Montel has reported.
The utility found the same issues at Chooz 2 and was looking for technical solutions.
EDF warned that checks will continue "until a full assement is completed".
It will also carry out inspections on the 51 other reactors of the French nuclear fleet, “taking into account the lessons learned from the first analysis.”
The firm, already EUR 42bn in debt, said it would analyse the financial impact of the outages.
