19 Jul 2023 | 13:01 UTC

France's EDF updates Rhone river reactor warning, set to restart Cattenom

Highlights

Only one Bugey unit may be restricted

Cattenom-2 set to return 23 days early

Aug contract bounces off two-year-low

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EDF has updated the river temperature warning for its 3.6-GW Bugey nuclear power plant with only one unit potentially impacted from July 22, the French utility said July 19.

One of the four 900-MW units at Bugey was temporarily halted during the July 15/16 weekend due to environmental reasons, with river temperatures above a critical threshold for aquatic life.

"Due to the high temperatures forecasts on Rhone river, production restrictions are likely to affect Bugey nuclear production from July 22. However for grid constraints the production will be at least 1,800 MW and it may change according to the grid needs," EDF said in the updated transparency note with the first warning from July 10 canceled.

Last year, safety regulator ASN waived river temperature restrictions due to record-low reactor availability.

In June, the regulator noted a study showing little impact on aquatic life from the waiving of restrictions on four river-based nuclear power plants in Southern France.

Widespread negative hourly prices for the July 15/16 weekend across Northwestern Europe forced EDF to ramp down its fleet by up to 10 GW including Bugey 3.

Meanwhile, Bugey-2 is planned to come offline for a three-month annual maintenance stop on July 22.

On the flipside, EDF brought forward the restart of its 1.3-GW Cattenom-2 to July 19.

The unit has been offline since March and was due to return on Aug. 12, but was one of six 1.3-GW reactors for which EDF is performing checks and potential preventative repairs to stress corrosion issues faster than initially planned.

Nuclear output so far in July has averaged 32 GW, peaking July 19 above 34 GW.

Analysts at S&P Global Commodity Insights forecast French nuclear averaging around 30 GW in July and again in August.

French August baseload contracts rebounded July 19 above Eur75/MWh ($84/MWh) after settling July 17 at Eur71.74/MWh, a level not seen over two years for the contract, EEX data showed.

French reactor watchlist

Unit (MW) Outage start Scheduled return Notes
Cattenom 2 1300 03/03/2023 19/07/2023 Refueling, SIS check
Gravelines 6 900 18/04/2023 26/07/2023 Refueling
Dampierre 4 900 31/05/2023 28/07/2023 Refueling
Cruas 4 900 28/05/2023 29/07/2023 Refueling
Saint Alban 1 1300 24/02/2023 30/07/2023 Refueling, extra maintenance
Gravelines 1 900 11/02/2023 01/08/2023 Refueling, extra maintenance
Paluel 3 1300 28/04/2023 03/08/2023 Refueling
Flamanville 1 1300 22/03/2022 13/08/2023 Steam generator replacement
Golfech 2 1300 27/03/2023 13/08/2023 Refueling, SIS checks
Golfech 1 1300 26/02/2022 20/08/2023 10-year-overhaul (SIS indication)
Tricastin 3 900 15/07/2023 24/08/2023 Refueling
Chinon 3 900 02/05/2023 27/08/2023 Refueling
Bugey 2 900 22/07/2023 25/10/2023 Refueling

Source: EDF (compiled by S&P Global Commodity Insights from REMIT notes to July 19)

Editor:

Dan Lalor