Ardèche - Energy: The CNPE de Cruas reports

Cruas-Meysse: In keeping with tradition, the director of the CNPE de Cruas-Meysse, Janick Jacquemard, presented the 2021 results and the 2022 outlook for the nuclear power plant to the press on Tuesday 18 January. On the program: the preparation of the Grand Carénage* while maintaining, at the same time, all the production and safety/security activities of the plant.

Despite the health context leading to a reorganization of working time, the Cruas-Meysse nuclear power plant maintained the same level of electricity production as last year (21.7 billion kilowatt hours in 2021 vs 21 billion kwh in 2020 ) while ensuring the same level of safety and security for facilities, EDF employees and employees of service provider companies.

Cruas production accounts for 5% of French nuclear production and 40% of production in Auvergne Rhône Alpes.

Safety/security: a good student

On the safety/security side, the plant has been rather "virtuous over the past 5 years despite two automatic shutdowns without consequence in 2021", indicates Janick Jacquemard, director of the plant who arrived in September 2021. Only one incident, subject to investigation, released the central to its linearity. This is a radiation protection fault detected on one of the employees who was working in a non-hazardous area. “He came into contact with a radioactive substance in his neck, but we don't know how or why. Research is still ongoing." Nevertheless, the employee in question does not incur any danger, assures the director, with regard to his rate of contamination, well below the regulatory limit of 20 msv.

The commissioning this year of the Sherlock laboratory will contribute to optimizing safety and security since it is dedicated to the aging of irradiated steam generators. A project that fits, logically, in the perspectives of the Grand Carénage.

clean energy

In Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, 100% of electricity production is carbon-free (97% in France). "We have avoided 7 million tonnes of CO2 this year, compared to the same quantity of kWh produced with the average European mix (300 g of CO2 per kWh)" continues the director. "The principle of consumption means that we first use renewable energies, which are then supplemented by nuclear". Cruas also produced 9.7 million kilowatt hours of wind energy in 2021 (7.18 M kwh in 2020), which represents 2,800 tonnes of CO2 avoided, and 4.75 million kilowatt hours of solar energy ( 1.62 M kWh in 2020), i.e. 1,400 tonnes of CO2 avoided.

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The outlook for 2022

“Our project in 2022 is to continue our collaboration with local authorities, to bring the local economic fabric to life, to continue the construction of the new local crisis center until 2024, and to build a new car park to accommodate the teams of the Grand Fairing”.

With a tax contribution of 71 million euros, the plant contributes to economic dynamism. More locally, the plant makes 40% of its purchases locally, including €8.5 million in Ardèche. "A figure that increases every year, because it is our desire to participate actively in the economic life of the territory".

* The Grand Carénage is an industrial program for the renovation and modernization of existing nuclear power plants. It includes a set of projects grouped into three categories of activity: renovating or replacing major components reaching the end of their technical life; carry out the modifications necessary to improve safety; ensure the sustainability of equipment qualification after 40 years.

Looking for technical platform for the large fairing

As part of the Grand Carénage of the Cruas / Meysse nuclear power plant, the State, with the support of the Region, is asking neighboring communities to prepare for the influx of outside workers into the territory. From 2024 and for 4 years, the Cruas plant will accommodate up to 4,500 people on its site, which is planned for a flow of less than 2,000 at peak activity.

One of the components of the large fairing concerns employment and training: 11 trades are identified as being already in tension on the territory and will be necessary for the nuclear program. Faced with this observation, a technical training platform must be set up.

The State has sent specifications to local areas so that they can offer potential places to host and develop this platform (1,000 m ² minimum, able to accommodate up to 70 trainees/year). The choice of site will ultimately be up to the State, which will have to decide on February 14 at the latest.