The French nuclear plant touted as a model for Britain’s new reactors was under scrutiny yesterday after 150 of the padlocks protecting its command-control computers disappeared. Electricity of France (EDF), the state electricity group, filed a criminal lawsuit over the disappearance of the padlocks from cabinets containing the computer system at the plant under construction at Flamanville in northern France. EDF is leading the £19.5 billion project to build two similar reactors at Hinkley Point in Somerset, which are expected to supply 7 per cent of Britain’s electricity. The company said police were investigating the incident and that it had started an internal audit. None of the computers had been tampered with. The project at Flamanville has been beset by so many problems that it has been nicknamed the “cursed site” in the French media. The reactor was initially due to come on stream in 2012 at a cost of €3.3 billion, but delays and setbacks have meant that it will not be switched on until next year at the earliest, and will cost at least €10.5 billion.
Times 8th May 2018 read more »
Reuters 7th May 2018 read more »
