BB.lv: Peaceful atom to the French house: what will 64 billion euros be spent on (VIDEO)

Loading of uranium into the tanks of the new nuclear reactor has begun at the Flamanville nuclear power plant in Lower Normandy. The third generation EPR reactor (European Pressurized Reactor) with a capacity of 1600 MW will be the most powerful in the French nuclear park. After its commissioning this summer, France will have 57 nuclear reactors.

The new EPR reactor is the third reactor at the Flamanville nuclear power plant. Its construction was long and expensive. Construction permission was received back in 2006. It was planned to spend 3.3 billion euros. However, the project cost more than 19 billion euros and took 17 years to complete.

President Emmanuel Macron is committed to the long-term development of this sector: it is planned to build six more new reactors of the EPR 2 type, a simplified version of the current reactor in Penly (Seine-Maritime) by 2035; then over the next decade in Gravelines (North) and Buggi (Ain). According to preliminary estimates, the cost of the program will be 68 billion euros. At the same time, France will have to solve two difficult problems: waste disposal and dismantling old power plants.

The share of nuclear electricity in the French energy system in 2023 was 64.8%. This makes France independent from external factors in terms of energy, but in no way affects electricity bills for consumers. It is emphasized that the commissioning of the new reactor will not ease the burden of payments for the French.