Maud Descamps, edited by Manon Fossat 8:32 am, November 11, 2021

Emmanuel Macron announced the construction of new nuclear reactors in his televised address on Tuesday evening, and made it a central issue. Very good news for the entire industry, which is now awaiting clarification from the Head of State to embark on the construction of these EPRs. How much, when? All the questions are on the table because EDF cannot cover this bill on its own.

Emmanuel Macron announced on Tuesday evening the launch of a new nuclear program in France.

It includes in particular the construction of new nuclear reactors, EPRs, because if France wants to achieve carbon neutrality in 2050, the work must begin now.

And behind these announcements, a whole French nuclear industry is waiting for details from the executive to get started.

Because the EDF company will not be able to cover the bill on its own.

The specter of Flamanville

In the field, teams from the nuclear sector are indeed wondering about the number of reactors to be built and the timeframe for starting work.

For Valérie Faudon, general delegate of the French nuclear energy company, it is necessary to quickly clarify the intentions of the executive in matters of nuclear energy.

"What is needed is to move from an intention to order to a real contractual framework, which precisely allows us to be able to place orders with manufacturers and to be able to hire with confidence, to train ... close to 10,000 people, ”she detailed.

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Last April, EDF created with Pôle Emploi a nuclear university in order to train technicians who will work on EPR sites, namely engineers, boilermakers and welders.

But in addition to the industrial challenge, there is also the question of financing.

The Flamanville EPR cost 12 billion euros, three times more than expected.

EDF CEO Jean-Bernard Lévy believes that the construction of these new reactors would require investments "of a rare magnitude", he said "probably comparable to the very large investments of the Trente Glorieuses".