EPR fuel cycle cost reduction

The EPR is a 1500 MWe evolutionary PWR which entered its ''Basic Design phase'' in February 1995, after a ''Consolidation phase'' of two years where the main features were harmonized between all the involved French and German industrial partners. The core of the EPR is designed to reach significant advantages with respect to its flexibility and its fuel cycle costs compared to PWRs already in operation. The reduced fuel cycle costs are reached on the basis of adequate decisions with respect to the core geometry and optimized fuel utilization. Additional margins remain available for following the fuel cycle length to be selected in a range between one and two years and, if requested, to switch over to mixed oxide fuels (MOX) managements with a MOX ratio of up to 50 percent. (authors)