The EPR: from the French-German project to the spearhead of French nuclear industry

This article draws the history of the French-German cooperation for the construction of a new nuclear reactor: the EPR (European Pressurized water Reactor). The EPR project was launched in 1992. The EPR achievement was its ability to merge the strengths of the French N4 reactor (particularly its reinforced concrete containment) with the strengths of the German Konvoi reactor. The reactor design had 3 main purposes: first to reduce the likely of core meltdown, secondly to eliminate almost all the accidental situations that could lead to radioactive releases, and thirdly to assure that in case of radioactive releases, protection measures would be limited in time and space. The idea behind this cooperation was also to open the way to a standardization of safety regulations in Europe and beyond. (A.C.)