Flamanville's new EPR reactor shut down for over a year for mandatory safety checks

EDF announced that the recently commissioned EPR reactor at Flamanville will remain non-operational for more than a year to undergo a comprehensive regulatory audit. The inspection is a standard requirement for all new reactors a few months after they achieve full capacity, and it was already programmed into the plant's schedule. Residents near the site, such as 68-year-old Didier from the nearby town of Pieux, have criticized the project's escalating expenses and regional impact, emphasizing that the reactor had been running at full output for only a few months before the shutdown.

While the plant is the most powerful of France's 57 reactors, the pause is not due to an unforeseen fault but to fulfill mandatory safety obligations. The extended outage highlights the broader challenges of nuclear expansion in France, including cost overruns and community concerns.