Breaking up Brennilis

摘要

The nuclear power plant located in Monts d'Arree, Brennilis, northwestern France, is a unique 75 MW (250 MWt) gas-cooled heavy water reactor (GCHWR) that was developed during the 1950s and 1960s. The reactor, also known as EL 4, operated for nine years between 1972 and 1981, before being permanently shut down in July 1985. The reactor was defuelled and dewatered by 1992. Partial decommissioning operations were carried out from 1997 to mid-2007 (plugging of circuits, decommissioning of certain heavy water and carbon dioxide circuits and electromechanical components, demolition of non-nuclear buildings, and so on.) However, the process was interrupted when a 2006 decommissioning licence was cancelled by the French Council of State in June 2007.