goingcritical:civaux-2France · Power reactor
Civaux-2
Status: Operating critical since November 27, 1999 Reactor status full glossary → Announced Publicly announced — a site and design are proposed, but construction has not begun. Site preparation Early site and civil works are under way; the first safety-related ("nuclear") concrete has not yet been poured. Under construction Formal construction has begun, marked by the first nuclear concrete. Fuel loaded Nuclear fuel has been loaded into the core. The reactor is fuelled but has not yet gone critical. Critical Has reached first criticality — a self-sustaining chain reaction, usually at low power — but is not yet connected to the grid. Grid connected Synchronised to the electrical grid and exporting power for the first time, but still in commissioning and power-ascension testing — not yet in commercial service. In commercial operation — the operator has formally declared the unit in regular commercial service. Shut down Permanently shut down and no longer generating; may be defuelled, undergoing decommissioning, or preserved in place. Canceled Abandoned before completion.
Site: Civaux, Vienne
Last of France's four N4 reactors and the final French-designed unit before the EPR. Civaux-2 first went critical on 27 November 1999. Like its sister unit, commercial operation was delayed to 2002 following the N4 residual heat removal circuit crack found at Civaux-1 in 1998.
Details
| Design | 1450 MWe N4 PWR |
| Electrical output | 1,495 MWe |
Milestone history
- Announced —
- Construction start April 1, 1991
- Fuel load —
- First criticality November 27, 1999
- Grid connection December 24, 1999
- Commercial operation April 23, 2002