France advances nuclear decommissioning and reactor maintenance

France is advancing significant nuclear energy projects involving both decommissioning and maintenance. EDF and its subsidiary Cyclife have validated a strategy to dismantle the heat exchangers of the Chinon A2 reactor. This marks a major step toward France becoming the first country to complete the full decommissioning of a graphite-gas (UNGG) reactor, a complex process due to the high volume of waste generated by this first-generation technology. Following studies, a public inquiry is expected in 2027, with concrete operations slated to begin in mid-2028.

Separately, the Flamanville 3 EPR reactor is scheduled for a major shutdown lasting at least 350 days. This extensive maintenance operation, expected to cost several hundred million euros, is required to replace a defective steel reactor vessel lid. While the shutdown is a regulatory requirement for new reactors, the scale of this repair is exceptional. The Flamanville project has faced significant historical challenges, including a decade of delays and a total cost that has risen to approximately 23.7 billion euros.