Framatome welcomes the commercial start-up of the second EPR reactor at the Taishan nuclear power plant in China’s Guangdong province. CGN, EDF and Framatome announced Taishan’s Unit 2 commercial operating status on September 7, 2019, after the reactor completed 168 hours of continuous operations. Taishan Unit 2 is the second EPR reactor in operation around the world.
As a designer of the EPR, Framatome, a subsidiary of the EDF Group, is pleased with the commercial start-up of the second reactor at the Taishan power station, a milestone that rewards the teams' sustained efforts in recent years.
Bernard Fontana, CEO of Framatome, thanked all employees around the world for their unwavering commitment to this project. "For 40 years, we have together created an exemplary model of cooperation, in this case as a designer with EDF for the Taishan EPR. On this project, we pooled our technological, human and industrial experience and leveraged our ability to work together on complex issues to reach this success," he said. "We will continue to innovate and fulfill our industrial, social and environmental responsibilities for the sustainable development of nuclear energy and a low-carbon society around the world."
The EPR is a "Generation III+" nuclear reactor, synonymous with significant technological advances in safety and security. The EPR offers economic benefits for nuclear plant operators, including reduced production costs, improved fuel utilization, reduced waste volume, increased operating flexibility, optimized maintenance times and improved reliability, as well as enhanced ergonomics for employees’ health and safety.
The project also covers key plant services and equipment, including the control system, fuel, primary pumps, and support for the construction and commissioning of the plant.
There are three additional EPR reactors under construction worldwide, including Flamanville 3 EPR in France, Olkiluoto 3 EPR in Finland and Hinkley Point C EPR in the United Kingdom.
Comprising two 1,750-MW EPR reactors, Taishan nuclear power plant is the largest cooperation project to have taken place between China and France in the energy sector.