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REGIONAL ACCESS
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France
Responding to France’s determination to be energy independent
1967: first PWR reactor commissioned in France at the Chooz plant (Ardennes).
1973: first oil crisis. France chooses nuclear energy to achieve energy independence. Electricité de France selects pressurized water reactors (PWR) and AREVA NP as the sole supplier of its nuclear steam supply systems (NSSS).
Today, France is an autonomous entity in terms of energy production.
Nearly 80 percent of its electrical power comes from nuclear plants, produced by a fleet of 59 units.
 France's nuclear power plants fleet
Standardization and innovation to achieve a national goal
Gravelines NPP - France
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Over the last 30 years, AREVA NP has developed its technology, rising to the leadership position in the world nuclear industry, for which it has set the standards.
Its capacity to set up and manage an indusrial tool to meet the construction pace required by its national customer represents true industrial performance.
The increase in the capacity of France’s nuclear plants, resulting from unflinching political determination and based on a broad consensus of public opinion, constitutes a world record unequalled to this day.
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A homogenous and efficient pool of equipment
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Reactor building - Chooz NPP
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Only 22 years separate the connection of the Fessenheim 1 plant (900 MWe) to the grid in 1977 and the connection of the Civaux 2 plant (1450 MWe), in 1999.
The remarkable homogeneity of French nuclear equipment, due to the choice of a single technology (PWR), has made it possible to gather an exceptional wealth of experience and feedback.
France’s nuclear fleet is now made up of three different “technical series”:
 900 MWe (34 unitis),
1 300 MWe (20 units),
1 450 MWe (N4, 4 units).
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All of these facilities benefit from the latest technological developments, thanks to the determination of EDF (operator) combined with that of AREVA NP and the safety authority:
each series has capitalized on experience feedback from the previous series,
all units in a series have systematically benefited from all of the modifications applied to any one unit.
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EPR, the next generation of reactors
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Flamanville site 3D mock-up
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The EPR, the reactor incorporating the most recent design features, benefits from the latest innovations developed by AREVA NP in terms of performance and safety.
These innovations result in reduced production costs, optimized fuel management, a significant decrease in the volume of waste produced per kWh and greater operational flexibility.
EDF has decided to build an EPR at the Flamanville site (on the English Channel). AREVA NP will supply the nuclear island.
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Press releases
02/02/2010 - United States: AREVA Receives NRC Approval for Safety-Related Digital I&C System
02/01/2010 - Conversion: INB and AREVA sign a conversion services contract
01/20/2010 - AREVA signs agreement with Alstom and Schneider Electric for sale of the Transmission and Distribution business
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EPR
The first-built generation III+ reactor
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