The shutdown of the Flamanville EPR is linked to “human error”, according to the Nuclear Safety Authority

The automatic shutdown of the Flamanville EPR reactor on Wednesday, shortly after its first start-up, follows “human error” in the configuration of electronic systems, the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) explained to AFP on Thursday, September 5. “As part of the tests to be carried out for the start-up of the EPR after the divergence (the first nuclear reaction), the operator must modify a certain number of control parameters”the ASN explained to AFP.

Gold, “During one of these operations, an incorrect configuration of the electronic systems took place, which led to the appearance of a certain number of alarms and the automatic shutdown of the reactor”she added. The ASN mentioned to AFP a “human error”, because “the procedure for the intervention was not strictly followed”.

With the green light from the nuclear police, EDF was able to carry out the first nuclear reaction inside the production unit on Tuesday, a crucial step in starting up the reactor, which should produce its first electrons on the network by the end of autumn, twelve years behind schedule. But barely started, the EPR went into automatic shutdown on Wednesday morning.

EDF teams “carry out the necessary technical checks and analyses, follow the usual procedures, and then they will restart the reactor divergence”said the group’s spokeswoman on Wednesday evening, specifying on Thursday that the analyses were still “in progress”.