Feedback from computerized plants

The article deals with the general design principles of control systems for French nuclear power plants, while articles and dwells at greater length on pressurized water reactors (known as PWRs), including France's flagship nuclear power plant, the N4 : This industrial stage, following on from the 900 MWe (34 reactors, virtually uncomputerized) and 1,300 MWe (20 reactors, described as semi-computerized), developed a new type of reactor whose fully computerized control system (including operating procedures for normal and accidental operation) was a world first. Its four 1,450 MWe units were connected to the EDF grid at the Chooz and Civaux sites between August 1996 and December 1999.

The completion of this entire program makes it possible and necessary to look back on its development, its successes and its difficulties, in an attempt to draw some lessons for future achievements. This is what EDF calls feedback, the subject of this article.