The Flamanville EPR
EDF stated: “After its next reconnection to the grid, the Flamanville 3 teams will continue the testing phase before commissioning with an objective to reach full capacity before the end of autumn 2025. At the end of this testing period, the unit is expected to be operated at 100% capacity until the first planned outage for maintenance and refuelling, called Visite Complète 1 (VC1). This first planned outage should mainly take place in 2026.”
Construction of the Flamanville 3 unit, located at a site with two operational reactors since 1986 and 1987, began in December 2007. The reactor dome was installed in July 2013, and the reactor vessel was placed in January 2014. Initially slated for commercial operation in 2013, the project faced multiple setbacks, extending the timeline significantly.
The Flamanville 3 reactor is part of the European Pressurized Reactor (EPR) family. The first EPR units to enter commercial operation were at Taishan, China, with Taishan 1 starting in 2018 and Taishan 2 in 2019. In Europe, Olkiluoto 3 in Finland began commercial operation in 2023. Additionally, two EPR units are under construction at Hinkley Point C in the United Kingdom, with two more planned at Sizewell C.
Following its grid connection in December 2024, Flamanville 3 is undergoing extensive testing, including phases of connection and disconnection to ensure operational reliability. The reactor is expected to maintain full capacity after testing until its first scheduled maintenance in 2026. This development strengthens France’s nuclear energy capacity, supporting its energy needs with advanced reactor technology.
