French Local Section of the ANS
Section Française de l'ANS
French Nuclear Society
Société Française de l'Energie Nucléaire
(SFEN)
|
|
|
| American Nuclear Society (ANS) |
French Local Section of the ANS Section Française de l'ANS |
French Nuclear Society |
The French Section of the American Nuclear Society (SFANS) is a learned Society, the statutory mission of which is to promote cooperation between France and the United States in the field of peaceful nuclear energy.
SFANS MAIN CONSTITUENCIES
The CEA is a major player in research, development, and innovation. It focuses on three main fields: energy; information and health technologies; and defense. Through the diversity of its programs, it pursues two major objectives: (1) to become the leading European scientific and technological research body and (2) to guarantee the continuation of the nuclear deterrent. It intends to achieve these objectives through a mutually beneficial crossed engineer/researcher culture, favoring synergies between fundamental research and technological innovation, exceptional installations (super computer, research reactor physics instruments, power lasers, etc).
The CEA is fully involved into the industrial and economic fabric with a staff of over 15,000 employees, and a budget of $ 2.7 billions. The CEA operates nine centers throughout France and takes advantage of the presence and solid partnerships with other research bodies, local institutions, and universities. In order to encourage the transfer of knowledge, the CEA places strong emphasis on education and information to the public. Recognized as an expert in its fields, the CEA is a full partner of European research and is increasingly present at the international level.
The AREVA group is the worldwide leader in energy (nuclear reactors, nuclear fuel cycle, and electricity transmission and distribution) and aims for one-third of the global nuclear market. The AREVA group has manufacturing facilities in over 40 countries and a sales network in over 100. Today, the group has 70,000 employees with sales of revenues of € 10.1 millions in 2005.
websites: AREVA AREVA-NP AREVA-NC
The consolidated turnover in 2008 was 64.2 billion €, and net Group share of results of 3.4 billion €. EDF counts over 38 million customers worldwide and over 158,000 employees around the world.
EDF has a standardized fleet of nuclear power plants made of up of 58 nuclear pressurized water reactors, spread over 19 sites in France, with power generating capacities varying from 900 MW to almost 1500 MW. The operating life of nuclear power stations in France is now estimated at 40 years.
The total installed nuclear capacity is 63.3 GWe (in 2008 ).
EDF controls the entire life cycle of its nuclear power stations. The company constructs its installations and takes complete technical and financial responsibility for deconstructing them at the end of their operating life.
The construction of a first EPR reactor at Flamanville, in Normandy, with a capacity of 1,650 MW, is an essential stage in the renewal of EDF's nuclear generation capacity and represents a major industrial challenge. In the current economic conditions (2008), the cost of this investment is estimated at 4 billion euros, which gives an estimated generation cost of 54 euros per MWh. Commissioning of the plant is planned for 2012.
The EDF group is actively reaching a strategic forward step at international level, as constructor of new reactors, and co-investor in this area on the two largest markets worldwide , namely The US and China. The Group intends to invest 40 to 50 billion euros into the EPR until 2020. Meanwhile, EDF has acquired British Energy, the British nuclear power operator, in September 2008, a major step into the future of the EDF Group which intends to build four EPR in the United Kingdom at the 2025 horizon.
RECENT AND UPCOMING EVENTS
ANS President MacFarlane's visit to France and SFANS' General Assembly
Following the tradition, the ANS French Section (SFANS) has invited the ANS President Harold Mac Farlane to its General Assembly held on September 25, 2006 at the Club France-Amériques in Paris. On this occasion, he gave a presentation on “A New US Nuclear Energy Lanscape” to a large audience including in particular this year, many young nuclear engineers as well as senior executives from French nuclear research and industry, international agencies, and ministries.
During his visit to France, President Mac Farlane had several meetings in particular with the French Section Board and with AREVA senior executives. With the French Section Board, President Mac Farlane reviewed the ongoing relationship between the ANS and the French Section and discussed how to enhance the international role of the Society in the framework of the current ANS Strategic Planning process.
In addition to these meetings, a one day technical tour was scheduled to CEA/Cadarache Research Center, highlighting nuclear fuel development with the lab scale fuel fabrication facility GAIA, the LEFCA (Laboratoire d'Etudes et de Fabrication de Combustibles Avancés) and the MASURCA (MAquette SURgénérateur de CAdarache) critical facility.
As part of the International
SFANS Student Exchange Program, Aurelia Estève, Alice Soulié and Damien Lebrun-
Grandi (not on the photo) have been sponsored for their three-month internships
at Idaho National Laboratory during the summer 2008.
2008 Technical Tour in France for US Engineering Professors
Following six successful technical tours of French nuclear facilities organised by the French section for US nuclear engineering professors, the seventh took place from July 6 to 12 under the leadership of Dominique Grenèche : the French Section Chair, and an AREVA member – in connection with his American counterpart Brian Hajek from Ohio State University. Twelve professors from eleven different universities took part in this intensive program including special nuclear visits across the country.
This extensive tour included main French nuclear R and D centres, MOX fuel fabrication plant, hot labs for research on advanced fuel cycles, large component fabrication facilities, and steam generators, as well as two major sites devoted to research and operation of radioactive waste management activities. The sites of the La Hague reprocessing plant and that of Flamanville, where the first French EPR is under construction were also visited.
The US Professors at La Hague - From left to right: Mitty Plummer (University of North Texas), Jeff King (Missouri University of Science &Technology), the AREVA guide, Man-Sung Yim (North Carolina State University), David Boyle (Texas A&M University), Susan Sterett (Duke University), Michel Debès (EDF), Brian Hajek (Ohio State Unversity), William Wepfer (Georgia Tech University), Paul Murray (AREVA Inc.), Patrick Pinhero (University of Missouri Columbia), Travis Knight (University of South Carolina), Mary Lou Gougar ( Senior Consultant/Idaho State Unversity), Michael Lineberry (Idaho State University), Ron Gilgenbach (University of Michigan) & Dominique Grenêche (SFANS).
Information Meetings
During 2008, the French Section has been organising lectures and information meetings in order to allow the French public to become aware of major US nuclear projects and achievements .
The Counsellor for Nuclear Energy at the French Embassy in Washington D.C., Dr Jacques Figuet gave a presentation in May in Paris on “ The Nuclear Renaissance in the United States on the eve of the new Presidency” which was attended by a large audience.
International Student Exchange Program
In the framework of the International Exchange Program (ISEP) sponsored by ANS, USDOE, and the French Section, two French students from the Ecole des Mines de Paris: Pierre Hanania and Aurélien Bernard have been selected to spend a three-month internship in Argonne National Laboratories.
Conversely, in the framework of specific exchanges with US universities, two American students benefited from an internship at AREVA, and the CEA will host during one year an American student from the University of Wisconsin.
ANS Nuclear Historic Landmark Award
Nominated by the French section, the AREVA Châlon / St Marcel plant received the prestigious nuclear historic ANS landmark award, with the following quote “AREVA Châlon/ St Marcel has successfully demonstrated since 1975 its uninterrupted capacity to manufacture more than 500 high quality components for worldwide nuclear plants”.
ANS Fellow
Jacques Bouchard, Advisor to the Administrator General of the French Atomic Energy Commission, and Chair of the GIF/Generation IV international Forum, has been elected in June 2008 ANS Fellow for “his outstanding leadership in designing France's new strategy for future nuclear energy systems, which has deeply influenced the international GEN IV and GNEP initiatives. “ For outstanding contributions as Chair of the GEN IV international Forum, toward the sustainable development of nuclear energy worldwide, and for his essential contributions as President of the French Nuclear Society SFEN toward furthering the collaboration between the ANS and SFEN”.
2008 SFANS Young Nuclear Engineer Award
The SFANS conducted an award selection among French PhD students working in nuclear research laboratories at AREVA, CEA, and EDF and interested in participating in ANS Topical or annual meetings to be held in the US.
The first Young Nuclear Engineer Award was presented to Johan Antunes who has just graduated, ranking first, from the French Institute for Nuclear Science and Technology. The second award was for Pierre Laghoutaris, a PhD student working at CEA Saclay Research Centre.
SFANS
President Grenèche delivers the 2008 SFANS
Young Nuclear
Engineer Award to Pierre LAGHOUTARIS.
International Student Exchange Programme
Three French students : Aurelia Estève and Alice Soulié from the Ecole des Mines de Paris and Damien Lebrun-Grandié from Grenoble Polytechnic Institute (National Engineering School of Physics) have been sponsored by the French Section for their three-month-internship at Idaho National Laboratory during summer or fall.
RECENT NUCLEAR HIGHLIGHTS IN FRANCE
Update on the Energy Policy in France
Total gross electricity production in France in 2007 was 544 TWh. Of this, nuclear power contributed 418TWh (77%), while hydro and fossil plants contributed 63.4 TWh (11;6% ) and 58.4 TWh (10%) respectively. French exports of electricity in 2007 amounted to 56.8 TWh .
An energy policy debate took place throughout France in 2003 an 2004 on issues such as security of supply, economic issues, waste, safety, greenhouse gases, and other environmental impacts. In July 2005, legislation was passed, defining the main directions of France's energy policy, and confirming nuclear energy as an important part of the national energy mix, and the objective of a 21% share of renewable energies in total energy production.
As part of the preparation for the modernisation of the French nuclear reactor fleet, the decision was taken to launch the process leading to the construction of a new European pressurized water reactor (EPR). With a capacity of 1,600 MWe, the EPR, developed by AREVA NP (owned by AREVA and Siemens) is expected to meet utility demand for greater availability, ease of maintenance, and reduced costs.
The construction of this first EPR reactor at Flamanville in France started in December 2007, for commissioning in 2012. In Europe, Finland was the first country to order an EPR and start its construction in 2005.Several European electric utilities have expressed interest for joining an industrial partnership in the construction of such a reactor. Countries in Asia (China; India) and America are also considering buying the EPR. In the United States, Unistar, a joint subsidiary between EDF and Constellation Energy is envisaging to develop initially four EPR's in the US.
In January 2006, President Chirac announced the launching by the French Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA) of the design of a prototype reactor of fourth generation to be operational in2020. In this connection, France is particularly involved in the development of three systems considered within the Generation IV international Forum (GIF) : the sodium fast reactor and the gas fast reactor, that are institutional priorities, and the high temperature reactor as an industrial endeavour driven by marketing prospects. Also, a watch activity was set up in respect of other prospective systems, such as supercritical water reactors and molten salt reactors.
Meanwhile, in March 2006, the French Parliament voted the setting up of an independent High Nuclear Safety Authority (HASN) in charge of nuclear installations safety control, radiation protection in hospitals and research centres, and of information in emergency situations.
Progress on French national policy on long-term radioactive waste management
The French long-term radioactive waste management policy was defined by a legislation voted by the Parliament in 2006. At present, 90% of the whole volume of radioactive waste generated by the French nuclear operators is included in an effective long-term management solution. The remainder is conditioned and stored safely, pending a suitable storage either on the surface or in a deep suitable geologic site .
The French national agency for the management of radioactive waste (ANDRA) manages existing repositories and oversees research on deep geologic repositories for high-level, long-lived waste. Waste of low or medium activity are stored on a site in Soulaines –Dhuys, operative since 2003.
The long-lived, high-or-medium level waste are subject to the June 2006 Law, which contains a national plan that sets out a research and operation programme to manage them according to a defined calendar. Three main directions are defined:
1 .Treatment of spent nuclear fuel and recycling in order to reduce their volume
2 .Conditioning in robust matrices, and temporary surface storage of the waste
non eligible for recycling.
3. For waste non eligible for final surface storage, reversible disposal
in deep geological layer, after interim storage.
Research on geological storage for long-lived, high-activity waste is carried out under the ANDRA agency, in an underground laboratory in Nord-East France.
The construction of a repository on a defined site could be authorised at the 2015 horizon by Decree of the Prime Minister, and become operational around 2025 following a procedure to be specified by law.
News from the CEA
The Jules Horowitz research reactor project (JHR)
Set up initially among research organisations from Belgium, Finland, and the Czech Republic under bilateral participation agreements with France, the JHR project was launched in 2007, with the beginning of the construction of the reactor at the CEA site of Cadarache. The reactor (100MW thermal) will serve to develop studies on materials and fuels, of interest to existing reactors as well as to evaluate choices on future systems. Its commissioning is scheduled for 2014, when it will succeed to the older OSIRIS reactor. The JHR forms today a consortium of 10 partners.
Controlled Fusion : ITER
The CEA Cadarache site was formally selected to host ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) at the Moscow meeting of June 2005. The seven Parties to this Project (China, South Korea, United States, India, Japan, Russia, and the European Union – represented by Euratom, signed in Paris in November2006 an agreement establishing the international organisation of this project. Construction work is scheduled to begin in 2010.
News from EDF
EDF launches the Flamanville EPR unit
Following a public debate, the board of Directors of EDF had decided in May 2006 to launch the building of its first EPR (European Pressurized Reactor) unit on the Flamanville site (which already comprises two existing units). Construction work has now started . Launching of the EPR is essential in renewing EDF's nuclear generation mix. In the current economic conditions (2008) , the cost of this investment is estimated at 4 billion euros, which gives an estimated generation cost of 54 euros per MWh. Commissioning of the plant is planned for 2012. A second EPR is to be built on the existing Penly nuclear power plant site in North West France. This new unit is intended to be commissioned by 2017
EDF cooperation with the US energy company Constellation Energy
EDF signed in June 2006 a Memorandum of Understanding with Constellation Energy according to which both companies will work together to define the ways EDF will provide Constellation Energy's subsidiary Constellation Generation Group (CGG) with a package of services sustaining the development of advanced EPR-type nuclear plants in the US. They agreed to explore further axes of cooperation as exchanges of engineers, documentation, technical assistance and EPR-type reactors services useful for the licensing, designing, building and operating processes.
EDF and Constellation Energy initiated their relationship with a 50/50 partnership in Unistar, a joint venture established in 2007 to develop, deploy and operate new standardised nuclear power plants in the US.
In September 2008, EDF increased its shareholdings in Constellation Energy to a level of 9;9 %. In mid-December, EDF bought 49,9% of the nuclear activities of the Constellation Energy Group, which operates five nuclear power plants totalling 3869 MWe in Maryland and NewYork .This merger of the two companies should allow them to play a significant role in US nuclear renaissance, with an objective to build, in a first step, four EPR-type reactors.
EDF recent appointments
Jean-Pierre BENQUE was appointed EDF Deputy General Manager in charge of North American activities of the Group, in May 2008.
News from AREVA
AREVA aims for one-third of global nuclear market
Areva is aiming for one-third of the world market covering the entire nuclear fuel cycle by 2010, according to Anne Lauvergeon, Chair of the executive board. The company's European Pressurized water Reactor (EPR) has already been selected by three utilities: Teollisuuden Voima Oy (TVO) of Finland; Electricité de France (EDF), and Constellation Energy of the US.
AREVA and Constellation Energy to develop the EPR in the US
Areva/Bechtel Corporation have signed in 2008 an agreement with UniStar Nuclear Energy, (which is also a partner of EDF ) to launch the first EPR on the US market. This covers the provision of a complete package, including the licensing, construction, and operation of the reactor. Within this framework, Areva is to provide the nuclear island instrumentation and control systems, and the first nuclear fuel load, while Constellation Energy will also receive support from Bechtel, one of the leading American engineering groups. The Design Certification Application was submitted to – and accepted by-the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in December 2007, for technical review, as well as a “combined operating licence”(COL) in mid-2008. NRC review of Areva application is likely to conclude in 2010. A fleet of at least four EPRs could be initially developed and installed under the aegis of UniStar Nuclear.
AREVA has designed an “integrated recycling” plant that could be built by 2020
This third generation reprocessing plant would use a patented process called COEX for simultaneous separation and management of uranium and plutonium. It would be combined with an integrated line for fabrication of mixed-oxide fuel in a single complex. AREVA's existing “second generation” reprocessing and MOX fabrication facilities at La Hague and MELOX can operate to 2040-2050.
French MOX fuel fabrication technology
In March 1999, the US DOE signed a contract with DCS (the consortium of Duke, COGEMA and Stone and Webster), to design, construct, and operate a MOX fuel fabrication facility ( MFFF) based on AREVA's French MELOX plant technology and process. DCS will also design the commercial MOX fuel for use in US commercial nuclear plants.
The facility, which is under construction since August 2007 in Savannah River, South Carolina, and owned by the DOE's National Nuclear Security Administration, is part of a bilateral effort between the US and Russia to process supplies of surplus weapons-grade plutonium into more proliferation-resistant forms. Converting the plutonium into MOX fuel will enable it to be used in commercial reactors. The MOX fuel assemblies to be produced by the MFFF will be used by the Duke energy electricity company in its pressurized water reactors.
The construction of the facility is in line with the implementation of the US-Russian Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement, which commits both countries to dispose of 34 metrics tons each of surplus weapons-grade plutonium.
AREVA : a new facility for uranium enrichment in the US
Areva Inc. is expanding its domestic nuclear infrastructure to secure its supply of enrichment services and reduce reliance on foreign imports. The new uranium enrichment facility will be implanted in the Idaho State. Areva will now seek necessary approvals from local, state, and federal agencies and begin licensing the plant through the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The plant should be operational by 2014.
AREVA and EDF create long-term used fuel management partnership
A framework agreement between the two companies for the recycling of used nuclear fuel was signed in December 2008 for a period ranging from 2008 to 2014, aimed at clarifying responsibilities and improving cooperation among the two groups. The agreement sets guidelines for reciprocal commitments. AREVA shall operate its La Hague and Melox sites until at least 2040, during which time EDF will have access to the facilities for its own purposes.
AREVA recent appointments
Michael RENCHECK has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of AREVA NP Inc., on 26 January 2009, succeeding Tom Christopher. Michael Rencheck reports directly to Luc Oursel, CEO of AREVA NP, with reporting to Jacques Besnainou, President of AREVA Inc.
AREVA annual results (2008)
Backlog : 48.2 billion euros
Revenue : 13.2 billion euros
Operating income : 1,166 million euros
Net income : 589 million euros
SF@NS NEWS - SFANS's electronic newsletter