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France's EDF making checks after Flamanville 3 reactor automatically stopped

French stateowned energy firm EDF said on Thursday its teams were making technical checks after the new Flamanville 3 nuclear reactor stopped immediately only a day after the unit, struck by 12 years of hold-ups and obstacles, went into production.

The Flamanville EPR reactor on Monday received authorisation from the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) to continue with divergence operations - the very first nuclear fission that permits electrical power production to begin.

The very first brand-new atomic power plant to be connected to the grid considering that the Civaux 2 nuclear reactor in 1999, it will be able to produce about 1.6 gigawatts (GW) per hour, making it France's. largest reactor.

EDF groups performed the first divergence operations on. Sept. 3 but on the morning of Sept. 4 the reactor immediately. stopped, an EDF spokesperson stated, verifying earlier media. reports.

Preliminary aspects from the technical medical diagnosis suggest the. occurrence might be connected to an unsuitable setup of. the setup, she said, adding groups were making checks. before relaunching divergence.

It's impossible to state if it's major or not with. certainty, but I'm leaning towards the benign hazard. This is. common in commercial process startups. We'll see in the next few. days, Nicolas Goldberg, associate direct at Paris-based. Colombus Consulting, stated.

The reactor start-up is a long procedure and an EPR is a. intricate maker that is being operated for the very first time in. France, so it is common to come across technical problems throughout. tests, the EDF spokesperson stated.

Automatic stoppages for technical concerns at EDF's reactors. are often factored in as an average when the power giant. projects its annual production figures.

(source: Reuters)