Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire Monday called on the French nuclear industry "to recover quickly", just before receiving an audit on the difficulties and delays accumulated for the construction of the EPR Flamanville, Channel.
"It is not acceptable that one of the most prestigious and most strategic sectors for our country faces so many difficulties," the minister told RTL . Bruno Le Maire, who is scheduled to receive a morning audit from former PSA boss Jean-Martin Folz, reviewed the delays and the considerable costs of building the Flamanville EPR. "These delays are not acceptable and these repeated difficulties are not in the spotlight of the nuclear industry must recoup and recover quickly," he warned.
Government shows signs of impatience on Flamanville EPR
"The report I asked Jean-Martin Folz (...) must allow us to recover and must allow the nuclear industry to provide specific answers to the difficulties that Jean-Martin Folz will present to us", said the minister, who assured that the CEO of EDF Jean-Bernard Lévy had the confidence of the government. The government, which multiplies the signs of impatience for a few months, had asked in early July this audit to shed light on the repeated setbacks of the Flamanville shipyard.
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In early October, EDF announced that the project cost of the Flamanville EPR nuclear reactor project is expected to increase by 1.5 billion euros to 12.4 billion euros, as a result of welding problems. The projected cost of this EPR, launched fifteen years ago, was announced so far of 10.9 billion, already three times more than the initial estimate. The group is also struggling in England, where its huge construction site for two EPR reactors at Hinkley Point C is expected to cost up to € 3.3 billion more than expected.