Brennilis Nuclear Power Plant

Infobox NPP
Picture = Centrale_brennilis.jpg|AKW Brennilis
Pic_des = Nuclear Power Plant Brennilis
Country = France
Utility = EDF/CEA
Built = 1967
Start = July 9, 1967
End = July 31, 1985
Reactor =
S_Reactor = 1
Reactor_MW = 75
El_Prod =
for_year =
El_Prod_avg =
Net_Prod =
WEBSITE =
as_of = November 30, 2006The Brennilis Nuclear Power Plant is a decommissioned site located in the Monts d'Arrée in the commune of Brennilis in Finistère, France.

Starting in 1962, the Commissariat à l'énergie atomique undertook construction of this experimental reactor moderated with heavy water and cooled with carbon dioxide (HWGCR). The reactor was to have a power of 70 MWe. The startup occurred in 1967.

In 1971, however, the French government decided to use Pressurized water reactor (developed by the United States) technology as their primary reactor model.

On August 15, 1975, two explosions slightly damaged a turbine and destroyed a phone. The Liberation Front of Brittany claimed responsibility. In 1979 the group destroyed electrical lines going from the plant to the grid, and with there being no grid to supply power to, the plant shut down. This was the only time in history that a terrorist group successfully stopped operation of a nuclear power plant.

In 1985 the reactor was stopped permanently. The price of decommissioning was estimated to be 482 million euros, much greater than initial estimates.

Decommissioning Experience

This nuclear plant marks the first decommissioning of a complete nuclear power station in France. EDF and CEA announced intention to make a transparent process so that it can be used as a model for decommissioning of plants later.

The process is divided into 3 stages.

tage 1

This stage was launched in 1985, similar to a refueling outage the fuel is moved to the spent fuel pool, but new fuel is not loaded, and the fuel on site is eventually transported elsewhere. It consists of:

* discharge of the nuclear fuel
* drain circuits
* shut-down final.

Phase 2

In 1995 a public investigation was held for the "partial dismantling" that phase 2 consists of. In 1996 it was decided that a feasibility study for the "greening" of the site would be submitted by the end of 1999. Phase 2 started in 1997, consisting of:

* decontamination and disassembling of the buildings except for the reactor itself
* evacuation of the nuclear waste
* containment of the reactor pressure vessel

On December 13, 2000 a rise in the ground water level caused a flood in the chemical processing building. In January 2001, a fire breakout in the joint inner building was confirmed. In 2005 phase 2 officially finished.

Phase 3

Phase 3 consists mostly of containing the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) and is currently underway.

* dismantling of the steam generators
* dismantling of the RPV
* demolition of the containment building