Sustainable Nuclear production in France EDF France Nuclear Fuel Cycle Dr. Noël Camarcat EDF...

Sustainable Nuclear production in France

EDF France Nuclear Fuel Cycle

Dr. Noël Camarcat EDF Generation

Special advisor for nuclear R&D and international issues

[email protected]

Imperial College of LondonWednesday, October 26th, 2011

Version v4b

23 oct 11

Version v4b

23 oct 11

© EDF 2011

EDF Nuclear Know-How and Experience

58 reactors in operation, on 19 sites, all owned by EDF

A single technology: PWR (“Pressurised Water Reactor”)

3 standardized series : a major safety asset and an economic benefit

900 MWe: 34 units, 31 GW

1,300 MWe: 20 units, 26 GW

1,500 MWe: 4 units, 6 GW

≈1400 reactor-years of experience

1 EPR unit under construction in Flamanville (FA3)

1 EPR under development in Penly (PL3)

2 - Imperial College of London - October 26th, 2011

Gravelines

Chooz

Cattenom

Fessenheim

Bugey

St Alban

Cruas

Tricastin

PenlyPaluelFlamanville

St Laurent Dampierre

BellevilleChinon

Civaux

Blayais

Golfech

Nogent Seine

900MW 1300MW 1500MW EPR

© EDF 2011

Sustainable Nuclear Production in France and Internationally

Nuclear production : Safety as main priority

58 PWRs with standardized series 900 MW (34), 1300 MW (20) and 1500 MW (4)

408 TWh in 2010, 77 % of electricity generation in France

launching of the new EPR reactor at Flamanville 3 (first production in 2016) and at Penly 3

Perspective for the future:

long term operation of existing NPPs and studies beyond 40 years periodic safety reassessment process, experience feedback, backfitting ....

preparation for EPR deployment: timeframe 2020 to 2030…

International development based on EPR standardisation: UK, USA, China, Poland, RSA…

participation to GEN 4 advanced fast neutrons reactors programs, timeframe 2040 + …


© EDF 2011

Reactor core and fuel management arrangements in France

The current fuel management average burn up 44 GWd/t, average enrichment 4%

900 MW CP0 (6 units): 4.2% per third and 18 months cycle on CP0 units (6 units);

900 MW CPY (28 units): 3.7% per quarter and 13 months cycle on CPY unitswith 22 units authorized for MOX fuel (30% core) and 4 units loaded with REPU fuel (100% core);

1300 MW units (20 units): 4% per third and 15/18 months cycle;

1500 MW N4 units (4 units): 4% per third, 17 months cycle.

Fuel management policies Implementation of MOX Parity fuel management and extension on 900 MW plants (22 units authorized as of today, 21 loaded), MOX equivalent to UO2 3,7% (52 GWd/t, 8.5% Pu)

Adaptations as needed to ensure recycling and fuel cycle consistency (evolution of burn up…)

Security of supply and Diversification


© EDF 2011

The French choice of reprocessing and recycling strategy

Reprocessing of spent fuel has been implemented in France from the beginning initially: to enhance energy independence, along with fast breeder reactors program

current status: transportation and reprocessing of spent fuel at the La Hague facility

Spent fuel represents a valuable energy resource (1%) plutonium as long term energy resource, under safeguard rules

(35% of fission energy in situ in UO2 fuel + possible 10% with recycling)

(95%) recovered uranium, still sligthly enriched (0,8% U235)

(4%) fission products and minor actinides (Am, Cm, Np) to be treated as waste and vitrified.

High level waste vitrification and recycling of valuable energetical material are the chosen options for back end fuel cycle the vitrification process is a major factor for long terme safe confinement of high level waste,

interim storage and disposal under reduced volume

decision to recycle plutonium in PWR 900 MW, using a mixed uranium / plutonium fuel (MOX) first MOX loading in 1987 at Saint Laurent B, extended now to 22 units PWR 900 MW (30% core)

use of REPU fuel on four 900MW units (100% core)

preservation of long term energy resource (use of plutonium for future fast reactors)


© EDF 2011

The principles of recycling Uranium and Plutonium in Light Water Reactors

6 - Imperial College of London - October 26th 2011

© EDF 2011

Nuclear fuel cycle industry in France A major contribution to energy sustainability


Spent Fuel: 1200 tons /year

(UOX et MOX)

Reprocessing: 1050 t / year

La Hague

Recycling: MOX fuel120 t/year on 22 units

900 MW (30% core) --> 43 TWh/yr

MELOXFuel

Fabricationplant

10 t /yr Separated

plutonium (1%)

Reprocessed uranium: ~ 1000 t/yr(U235 content 0,8%)

600t re-enriched and recycled on 4 units 900W (100% core)

80t REPU fuel/yr --> 28 TWh/yrVitrified High level Waste Interim passive storageDisposal optimisation

Spent Fuel Transportation to La

Hague, interim storage in cooling

pools 1200 tons/year

around 150 m3/yr vitrified HLWaround 200 m3/yr compacted ILWDepending on Burn up

UO2 Fuel fabrication 1000 t/year 2000 assemblies/yr (45 GWd/t average, max 52 GWd/t

Uranium and conversion 8000 t/year

Enrichment 5,5 MUTS/year

time period 20 years

430 TWhe /an

58 EDF NPPs22 units loaded with MOX

4 with REPU fuel

© EDF 2011

Reprocessing - The Purex chemical process some historical milestones

•U.S.A 1950s (Savannah, Hanford)

•UK 1953 (Windscale)

•France•1958 (Marcoule UP1)

•1967 (La Hague UP2-400)

•1976 (La Hague, UP2-HAO for UO2 fuel)

•1989 (La Hague UP3)

•1994 (La Hague UP2-800)

•UK 1994 (Sellafield THORP)

•Japan 2007 (Rokkashomura RRP)


© EDF 2011

Reprocessing capacities in the world in 2000


Country Company Throughput (tHM/y)

Cumulative Throughput (t, 2000)

Plant

France Cogema (now AREVA/NC)

1600 ~ 17000 UP2-UP3 at La Hague

United Kingdom

BNFL (1000) ~ 4000 THORP at Sellafield

Japan JAEA (before PNC)

90 ~ 1000 Tokai RP to be followed by Rokkasho RP

Russia Minatom (now Rosatom)

400 ~ (3000) RT 1 Mayak at Tchelyabinsk

India ? ? ? Tarapur

© EDF 2011

Reprocessing in nuclear chemical plants

• 3 important steps in the Purex process :

•1-Dissolve the spent fuel in oxide form

•2-Extract and separate Uranium, Plutonium, Fission products

•Condition the Fission Products Wastes (and others)

10 - Imperial College of London - October 28th, 2010 - 00 Mois 2009

© EDF 2011

Transport of used fuel assemblies between power plants and the reprocessing plant by shielded casks


© EDF 2011

Example of spent fuel cooling pools at La Hague

•Dimensions •Length : 50 m

•Width : 16 m

•Depth : 9 m

•About 7200 m3 of water

•Storage capacity •730 baskets, each bearing :

•9 PWR assemblies (EDF fuel type)

•Or 16 BWR assemblies

•~ 4000 tons of Fuel


© EDF 2011

The La Hague Plant and the Supplementary Safety Assessments after the Fukushima accident (the so-called stress tests)•May 2011 : request from the french safety regulator (ASN) to perform further evaluation of safety (ECS) of the operator’s nuclear facilities. The so called « stress tests » cover almost all of the 150 french facilities, in particular 58 operating nuclear reactors and reprocessing plants

•The reports of the 80 facilities identified as priorities have been submitted on september 15 and are available on web sites.

•Both nuclear reactors and reprocessing plants have spent fuel pools but :

•The fuel assemblies heat load is smaller at a reprocessing plant than in a power plant

•UOX 6 months after reactor shutdown : ~14kW

•UOX18 months after reactor shut down ~ 5 kW

•Line of defense in case of Plant Black Out (~SBO) with loss of heat sink : add up water with external pumps and pipes, several days available to perform these operations for the pools, longer than for power reactors

•Rapid intervention force (french FARN) being set up also for reprocessing plants (see back up slides in french).


© EDF 2011

La Hague Canisters for waste conditionning

•Glass canisters cast with the vitrification process for high level waste (HLW)

•180 liters, 400 kg

•15% of Fission Products Oxides mixed in glass frit (High Level Waste)

•Same canisters for •Hulls (cladding cut in pieces at shearing/dissolution)

•« technologicals » i.e compacted parts from the maintenance of machines


© EDF 2011

Intermediate storage of glass canisters at La Hague before geological repository

•Glass canisters are stored in metallic shafts below the yellow/red concrete slab


© EDF 2011


Ensuring a safe and long lasting confinement of high level waste by vitrification in inert glass canisters under a reduced volume, a safe and long-lasting containment, internationally recognized in a suitable form to be stored and ultimately disposed of in an optimised package, limited volume (around 150 m3/year for 430 TWh); optimisation of disposal; no more safeguards

Reducing the quantity of stored spent fuel, 8 UO2 spent fuel 1 MOX spent fuel, in which plutonium is concentrated (5%); and potentially 1 URE spent fuel

Recycling of plutonium and recovered uranium, while getting back energy outputproduces 43 TWh/yr (10% of nuclear production) in 22 units (30% of the core)

4 units feeded with REPU fuel (100% core)

Maintaining the possibility in the far future to use the plutonium resourceconcentrated in MOX spent fuel, under small volume, full safeguards

leaves open the possibility to reuse Pu in future GEN4 fast reactors


The current reprocessing recycling strategy is a major asset for sustainable nuclear energy in the following respects:

© EDF 2011


This strategy is robust and flexible in term of flow sheet and volume of nuclear materials (spent fuel, plutonium, REPU...).

It gives time and can be extended for the years to come, while preparing for future options.

It results in a safe and optimised high level waste interim storage and disposal (limited volume), along with nuclear energy resource preservation.

It relies on existing industrial tool, to be amortised in the long run.


© EDF 2011

The Geological Disposal Facility : an important stake for sustainable development

1991: The December 30th Waste Act launched 15 years of research on 3 management options for High Level Waste: separation/transmutation, long term storage and geological disposal.

1999: Construction Permit for an underground research laboratory situated in Bure

2005: The technical feasibility of a disposal facility in the Bure’s area clay established

End 2005: Public debate

2006: New radioactive waste management act: GDF is the reference solution for the long-term management of HLW – design development and final site selection have to be carried out under the following calendar:

2013: Public debate and site selection (in Bure’s area)

2014: Permit/license submission

2016: Law defining how reversibility should be implemented

2017-2018: Beginning of construction

2025: Commissionning

EDF is strongly involved in this project which success is a key element of our sustainable back-end policy


R&D, site selection, design studies

ConstructionSurveillance

1991

2025

~2125

Operation

2017

© EDF 2011

Studies for future back end options: the June 2006 law on Sustainable management of Radioactive Material and Waste

1/ R&D studies to be pursued on three complementary lines: Partitioning and transmutation of HLW, in relation with studies on future reactors, to assess the industrial perspectives for those systems (2012) and to develop a prototype reactor (2020)

Geological disposal, as a reference solution, in order to prepare a licensing procedure (site selection, design options..) in 2015 and implementation in 2025

Interim storage: new capacities, or existing to be adapted, for 2015, according to the needs

2/ A National Program for the Management of Nuclear Material and Radioactive Waste

featuring reduction of the quantity and toxicity (french term in the law “nocivité”) of radioactive waste, notably through spent fuel reprocessing and treatment of radioactive waste

3/ Financial settlements for local economic development and R&D expenses (Andra)

for cost assessment for HLW management options and related provisions (long term liabilities) with dedicated financial assets.


© EDF 2011

Conclusion

The on going challenges

first priority: nuclear safety

acceptability: waste management and Geological Repository development

best use of energy resource

The reprocessing recycling strategy brings a robust answer to high level waste management and allows to use fissile material rationally, while benefiting from an optimised use of existing industrial tool in the long run, which contributes to nuclear economics.

A perspective open to future progress and optimisation, as needed to meet long term energy sustainability.


© EDF 2011

Acknowledgments

All fuel cycle facilities photographs and some technical data are due to the courtesy of Professor Bernard BOULLIS, both at CEA and INSTN - 2007 course in nuclear engineering, fuel cycle « module ».


© EDF 2011

Focus on the UK:EDF Energy, key nuclear player in the UK

UK's largest producer of low-carbon electricity

Leading nuclear operator in the UK: 8 NPPs, 9.5 GW, including 7 AGR plants and 1 PWR

4 EPRs under development.


© EDF 2011

Nuclear New Build in the UK… Overview - Progress on Nuclear New Build

July 2011: Approval for Site Preparation Works, Hinkley Point, Somerset

October 2011: Weightman report into implications of Fukushima:

- No reason to curtail operation of power plants or other UK nuclear facilities

- UK industry has reacted responsibly and appropriately

- No cause to revist siting strategies for new projects

Autumn 2011: Development Consent Order (DCO) submission to Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC)

Ongoing: Regulatory approval for EPR continues to make progress.


© EDF 2011

Nuclear New Build in the UK… EDF Energy Response to Fukushima

Reviewed emergency planning procedures

Proactive steps taken to build public trust…- Open days at existing stations

- Redeveloping visitor centres

- New web pages

- Public focus groups

- Expert, external panel to challenge company

Broad consensus remains…- 61% of UK people support nuclear’s role in the energy mix

- Cross Party consensus continues…


© EDF 2011

Nuclear New Build in the UK… Progress on Policy Framework

Parliamentary vote endorsing National Policy Statements for Energy Infrastructure

Parliamentary vote on Justification

Current Energy legislation includes provisions for Waste and Decommissioning for new build

Electricity Market Reform White Paper published in July will provide greater certainty for investors


© EDF 201127

Initiateur T0

+ 24

h

> T0 + qql jours

Actions PUIéquipe de conduite

Mise en œuvre FARN d’EDF

Projection éventuelle d’une deuxième

équipe

Intervention avec lesmoyens

mutualisés - M2IN

(GIE INTRA rénové)

Gestion de crise moyen terme

Organisation Nationale de Crise

T0

+ 3

h

T0

+ 15

h

Alerte

Décision de mobilisation

Forces d’intervention rapide des opérateursChronogramme d’intervention

Mise en œuvre FARN du CEA

Mise en œuvre FARN d’AREVA

Intervention de la FARN d’EDF

et des FARN du CEA et d’AREVA (FLS, …)

Gestion de crise court terme

© EDF 2011 28

Force d’Action Rapide Nucléaire CEA et AREVA : mettre en état sûr l’installation et secours sur site

• Renforcer dès le début de la crise les moyens d’exploitation et d’intervention par des ressources locales connaissant les installations (astreinte).

• Apporter et mettre en service sous 24 heures des moyens matériels complémentaires permettant de mettre en sécurité l’installation : apport en électricité, eau et air comprimé, lutte contre l’incendie, secours, …

• Amener sur le site, à partir de 24 h, la logistique nécessaire au bon fonctionnement des matériels de sauvegarde.

• Assurer la surveillance radiologique de l’environnement.

• Être en liaison avec la direction de l’équipe de crise nationale et la direction locale.

Equipes FLS, SPR, des autres centres

© EDF 2011

Préparer la gestion moyen terme et long terme de la crise

Assurer un soutien lourd au site (forte puissance électrique, alimentation en eau à grand débit, base de support, protection périmétrique lourde)

Mettre en œuvre des actions de limitation et de traitement d’éventuels rejets

Assurer la sécurité des intervenants (accès, protection, contrôle radioprotection, base arrière …)

Assurer la continuité du fonctionnement de divers moyens utilisés en premier échelon

Objectif: Réflexion sur les moyens finalisée pour Février 2012

Moyens Mutualisés d’Intervention Nucléaire - M2IN (GIE INTRA rénové)

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