Brennilis - First use of industrial robots for the decommissioning of a French nuclear power station - 13086

With a percentage of approx. 76% of produced electricity from nuclear power stations (390000 GWh (e) for the year 2009) France is the nation with the worldwide highest proportion of nuclear energy using. A significant number of the French power plants have started operation more than 30 years ago. Currently 58 of power plants are still operating, 12 plants are shut down and waiting for decommissioning, respectively are in decommissioning process. Therefore France is one of the most interesting and most dynamic nations for future decommissioning projects. The current decommissioning projects in France have a model function for future French decommissioning strategies. The power plant owners Electricite de France (EDF) and Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA) pay a special attention to observe and analyses those projects. One of these model projects is the decommissioning of the EL-4-Reactor (Monts d'Arree) in Brennilis. This power plant is located in the western part of Brittany. The carbon dioxide-cooled heavy-water moderated research reactor was started in operation in 1967. The electrical capacity was 70 MW and the total energy was 6320.2 GWh(e), until to the shut down on 31 July 1985.