France's most powerful nuclear reactor connected to grid after 17-year build - eviltoast
The opening of the European Pressurized Reactor in Flamanville comes 12 years late on the initial schedule.

Summary

France’s Flamanville 3 nuclear reactor, its most powerful at 1,600 MW, was connected to the grid on December 21 after 17 years of construction plagued by delays and budget overruns.

The European Pressurized Reactor (EPR), designed to boost nuclear energy post-Chernobyl, is 12 years behind schedule and cost €13.2 billion, quadruple initial estimates.

President Macron hailed the launch as a key step for low-carbon energy and energy security.

Nuclear power, which supplies 60% of France’s electricity, is central to Macron’s plan for a “nuclear renaissance.”

  • NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.worldEnglish
    193·
    2 days ago

    The hope of these new small modular reactors is they can cut the time down.

    Less land, mass manufactured in a factory and shipped to location.

    That should help with estimated costs being closer to real costs.

    Even if they’re still expensive, being able to better plan and predict things is huge.

    • WoodScientist@lemmy.worldEnglish
      33·
      1 day ago

      Except that’s all been tried and promised before. The concept of SMRs is nothing new. It’s been tried again and again, every few years since the 1970s. It’s never panned out, and the promised savings from mass production of small reactors never materializes.