Nuclear in France: a corrosion problem reinforces fears about supply

A corrosion problem on the safety system of French nuclear reactors has spread to at least one other reactor, a new setback that falls badly when the electricity supply is tight and the industry scrutinized as never before. These problems prompted the French group EDF to reduce its nuclear electricity production forecast for 2022 "to 300 - 330 TWh, against 330 - 360 TWh", due "to the extension of the shutdown period of 5 reactors in the fleet French nuclear power plant from EDF", announced the group in a press release Thursday evening. Among them, a reactor at the Penly power plant (Seine-Maritime) is now also affected by this defect, which until now had only affected more powerful and recent reactors. France, which derives the vast majority of its electricity from nuclear power, had 10 out of 56 reactors unavailable on Thursday and was deprived of 20% of its capacity, at a time when consumption is high with the drop in temperatures.

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