Saint-Alban Nuclear Power Plant

Saint-Alban Nuclear Power Plant
Saint-Alban nuclear power plant from across the Rhône
Official name	Centrale nucléaire de Saint-Alban
Country	France
Location	Saint-Alban-du-Rhône, Isère, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Coordinates	45°24′16″N 4°45′19″E
Status	Operational
Construction began	Unit 1: 29 January 1979 Unit 2: 31 July 1979
Commission date	Unit 1: 1 May 1986; 38 years ago (1986-05-01) Unit 2: 1 March 1987; 37 years ago (1987-03-01)
Owner	EDF
Operator	EDF
Employees	1,242 (2017)
Nuclear power station
Reactor type	PWR
Reactor supplier	Framatome
Cooling source	Rhône River
Thermal capacity	2 × 3817 MWth
Power generation
Units operational	2 × 1335 MW
Make and model	P4 REP 1300
Nameplate capacity	2670 MW
Capacity factor	61.54% (2017) 67.90% (lifetime)
Annual net output	14,394 GWh (2017)
External links
Website	Centrale nucléaire de Saint-Alban
Commons	Related media on Commons

The Saint-Alban nuclear power plant is located on the Rhone river, in the Isère department 50 km downstream from Lyon in the communes of Saint-Alban-du-Rhône and Saint-Maurice-l'Exil.

Description

The power station uses water from the Rhone river to cool its two 1,300 MW reactors and employs 670 people.

Type of reactors

The following types of reactors are installed:[1]

Reactor units

Reactor Unit[2]	Type	Average Output	Rated Power	Began construction	Finish construction	Commercial operation
St.Alban-1	PWR	1381 MW	1335 MW	Jan 1979	Aug 1985	May 1986
St.Alban-2	PWR	1381 MW	1335 MW	July 1979	July 1986	March 1987

Seismological risk

According to WENRA, EDF has prepared a plan in case of an earthquake,[3] however other ASN documents from 2002 there may be some anomalies regarding the remote control and which may put into question the correct functioning of certain elements following an earthquake.

2003 heatwave

Following extremely high temperatures in July 2003 average water temperature rose above the limit authorised by the nuclear safety authorities for a period of 4 hours.

Fire risk

According to the 2007 ASN annual report recommendations were made to the operator to improve the security of the control room.[4]

See also

• List of nuclear reactors - France

References

1. "REACTORS IN OPERATION, 31 DEC. 2009". IAEA.
2. Power Reactor Information System from IAEA: "France (French Republic): Nuclear Power Reactors" (in English)
3. WENRA Progress towards harmonisation of safety for existing reactors in WENRA countries (p 74/88)
4. {fr} "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2011-09-12.

External links

• {fr} Saint-Alban Power station website

Aerial view

Aerial view