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Explosion at EDF's Flamanville nuclear plant in northern France Explosion at EDF's Flamanville nuclear plant in northern France
(35 minutes later)
An explosion has occurred at EDF’s Flamanville nuclear plant in northern France, causing minor injuries but no risk of contamination, authorities have said.An explosion has occurred at EDF’s Flamanville nuclear plant in northern France, causing minor injuries but no risk of contamination, authorities have said.
The blast took place in the engine room at the Flamanville plant, which lies 15 miles west of the port of Cherbourg and just across from the Channel Islands. The blast happened in the engine room at the plant, which is 15 miles west of the port of Cherbourg.
“It is a significant technical event but it is not a nuclear accident,” Olivier Marmion, a senior local official, told AFP. “It is a significant technical event but it is not a nuclear accident,” Olivier Marmion, a senior local official, told Agence France-Presse.
He said a ventilator had exploded outside the nuclear zone at the plant, which has been in operation since the 1980s. Five people suffered smoke inhalation but there were no serious injuries.He said a ventilator had exploded outside the nuclear zone at the plant, which has been in operation since the 1980s. Five people suffered smoke inhalation but there were no serious injuries.
One of the two pressurised water reactors at the plant was shut down after the explosion and the incident was declared over at 11am GMT, the authorities said.One of the two pressurised water reactors at the plant was shut down after the explosion and the incident was declared over at 11am GMT, the authorities said.
A new third-generation reactor known as EPR is being built at Flamanville, which will be the world’s largest when it goes into operation in late 2018. A new third-generation reactor known as EPR is being built at Flamanville and it will be the world’s largest when it goes into operation in late 2018.
Construction of the new plant at the site in Normandy began in 2007 and was initially due for completion in 2012 but has been delayed several times. Construction of the new plant at the site in Normandy began in 2007. It was initially scheduled for completion in 2012 but has been delayed several times and is over budget.
Jacques Witkowski, another local official, told Reuters that authorities had ruled out any deliberate act of sabotage. A mechanical part of a ventilator in the machine room — that wasn’t in contact with the nuclear installations — had probably overheated, he said. The reason was not yet known. Jacques Witkowski, another local official, told Reuters that authorities had ruled out sabotage as cause of the blast. A mechanical part of a ventilator in the machine room – which is not in contact with the nuclear installations of the plant – had probably overheated, he said. The reason was not yet known.
Nuclear power provides four fifths of France’s electricity generation, but much of the ageing nuclear fleet is expected to close in the 2030s. The country’s reliance on the power stations led to warnings of a risk of power cuts this winter after safety checks forced several of 85% state-owned EDF’s plants offline for tests. Nuclear power provides four-fifths of France’s electricity generation, but much of the country’s ageing nuclear fleet is expected to close in the 2030s. The reliance on the power stations led to warnings of a risk of power cuts this winter after safety checks forced several of 85% state-owned EDF’s plants offline for tests.
François Hollande’s government passed an energy transition law which came into effect last year, encouraging a switch to renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, and capping the amount of nuclear power capacity. François Hollande’s government passed an energy transition law, which came into effect last year, that encourages a switch to renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, and caps the amount of electricity produced by nuclear power.
The board of EDF recently voted to close the country’s oldest atomic plant in order to stay under that cap and open a new one at Flamanville.The board of EDF recently voted to close the country’s oldest atomic plant in order to stay under that cap and open a new one at Flamanville.
The design of the new nuclear power station at Flamanville, which is years overdue and over-budget, is the same as the one which will be used at Hinkley Point C, the UK’s first new nuclear power plant in two decades. EDF also hopes to build a second new plant at Sizewell on the Suffolk coast. The design of the sites’ new plant is the same as the one planned at Hinkley Point C, in Somerset, the UK’s first new nuclear power station in two decades. EDF also hopes to build a second new plant at Sizewell on the Suffolk coast.
Agence France-Presse and Reuters contributed to this reportAgence France-Presse and Reuters contributed to this report