To respond to the needs of clients with the most demanding security requirements, AREVA offers a diverse portfolio of 1,100 to 1,650 MWe reactors for pressurized water reactor (PWR) and boiling water reactor (BWR) power plants. These reactors are the result of AREVA’s research and development efforts, and of recent technological and industrial advancements.

These reactors use advanced technology to reach unparalleled power levels adapted to all market needs. They are designed for optimal security, profitability and operational simplicity, all while lowering their environmental impact.

• AREVA reactors security relies on innovative systems based on risk control and incident prevention. These models are designed to resist the impact of a commercial plane crash, and they have an estimated service life of 60 years, as opposed to an initial service life of 40 years for other types of reactors.
• Since their conception, provisions have been made to allow for greater fuel efficiency and a reduction in waste through measures such as the optimization of combustion rates. The reactors better respond to environmental concerns through a 15% reduction in the production of long-term radioactive waste.

The AREVA EPR^™ reactor is a high-powered (1,650+ MWe) pressurized water reactor (PWR), and was the world’s first Generation III+ reactor to be built. Its innovative design and proven reliability reflect the expertise of the group, which has already constructed 87 PWR reactors around the world.

Key benefits

• Competitive
  • A high capacity of 1,650 MWe
  • An evolutionary design, based on the N4 and Konvoi reactors,
  • Reduced operational costs: reduced fuel consumption, simpler system maintenance and shorter unit outages
  • A limited environmental impact: a reduction in fuel consumption by kWh and production of long-term waste (-15%),
• Safety
  • Earthquake and plane crash resistant,
  • Quadruple redundancy for its security systems,
• Flexibility
  • A varied choice of fuels: An EPR™ power plant can operate with uranium enriched up to 5%, reprocessed uranium or MOX fuel,
  • Irradiation cycle: fuel cycle length possibility between 12 and 24 months. 

Currently, 9 new reactors are under construction or being ordered throughout the world. Among them, 5 are AREVA EPR^TM reactors.

Progress report

• Development operations undertaken in 2009 principally involved:
  the analysis of feedback from the advancement of projects in Finland, France and China;
• certification in progress in the United States and the United Kingdom;
• piloting the resulting technique optimization processes.

The ATMEA1 is a pressurized water reactor (PWR) with 1,100 MWe of power, that was built within the ATMEA joint venture, formed in November 2007 by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and AREVA in equal shares.
The ATMEA1 reactor model is suitable for all types of power systems, particularly medium capacity grids and is already being marketed internationally.

It reaps the benefits of the skills and experience of its two parent companies, which together account for nearly 130 power plants connected to the grid around the world in some 50 years.

Like the EPR™ reactor, ATMEA 1 is a Generation III+ reactor. It has similar characteristics in terms of safety and environmental impacts, and its lower generating costs make it highly cost-competitive. In addition, it offers considerable operating flexibility.

Key benefits

Competitive

• Mid-range power of of 1,100 MWe
• An evolutionary design, based on the EPR™ and MHI reactors
• Reduced operational costs: reduced fuel consumption, simpler system maintenance and shorter unit outages
• A limited environmental impact: a reduction in fuel consumption by kWh and production of long-term waste (-15%),

Safety

• Earthquake and plane crash resistant,
• Triple redundancy for its security systems, plus an additional one for maintenance purpose,

Flexibility

• A varied choice of fuels: An EPR™ power plant can operate with uranium enriched up to 5%, reprocessed uranium or MOX fuel,
• Irradiation cycle: fuel cycle length, possibility between 12 and 24 months. 

Progress report

In February 2012, ATMEA  received the final ASN (French Safety Authorithy) report concerning the safety options of the ATMEA1 reactor.

ASN found that the ATMEA1 reactor’s safety options, which take into account internal and external hazards as well as preliminary lessons learned from the Fukushima accident drawn from an ATMEA analysis, are in compliance with French regulations.

Since the last two years, a methodical scrutiny of three technologies regarding nuclear power plant technology has been made. In April 2012, JAEC (Jordan Atomic Energy Commission) has completed its evaluation to select a technology in order to build the first nuclear reactor in Jordan.

It concluded that ATMEA technology is well fitting Jordan needs and requirements both in technical and economical terms.

Besides, in July 2012, the national utility Nucleoeléctrica Argentina (NA-SA) had pre-qualified the ATMEA technology for the next Request For Proposals that will be issued for the construction of its fourth nuclear power plant.

The KERENA is a mid-range Generation III+ boiling water reactor (BWR), developed in partnership with E.ON, a German electricity provider, for the mid-range market, around 1,250 MWe. It is targeted for plant operators that seek to develop know-how in boiling-water technology.
Based on the reactor at the Gundremmmingen B and C (Germany) plants, the KERENA applies proven technology while incorporating innovations, notably passive security systems to complement active systems.

Key benefits

Competitive

• Mid-range power of of 1,250 MWe,
• An evolutionary design, Gundremmingen B to C plants reactor, KERENA is simpler and more compact than the existing BWR reactors while respecting the most demanding certification requirements,
• Reduced operational costs: reduced fuel consumption, simpler system maintenance and shorter unit outages,
• A limited environmental impact: a reduction in fuel consumption by kWh and production of long-term waste (-15%),

Safety

• Earthquake and plane crash resistant,
• Security systems redundancy,
• an innovative security system that combines passive and active devices,

Flexibility

• A varied choice of fuels: An EPR™ power plant can operate with uranium enriched up to 5%, reprocessed uranium or MOX fuel,
• Irradiation cycle: fuel cycle length, possibility between 12 and 24 months.

Progress report

AREVA is finalizing the Basic Design of the KERENA reactor, with the support and participation of the electric provider E.ON. This phase is scheduled for completion in 2010.
A significant full-scale pilot program has been launched to validate the primary evolutions.