All news

Explosion hits NPP in France, no nuclear risk — paper

Several people were injured as an explosion hit Flamanville Nuclear Power Plant in northern France
Construction site of th EPR third generation nuclear reactor in Flamanville, NW France EPA/JEAN YVES DESFOUX
Construction site of th EPR third generation nuclear reactor in Flamanville, NW France
© EPA/JEAN YVES DESFOUX

PARIS, February 9. /TASS/. An explosion rocked the construction site of a new reactor at Flamanville Nuclear Power Plant in northern France, Ouest France newspaper reported on Thursday.

The explosion poses no nuclear risk as the reactor has not been put into operation, the paper said, adding that several people were injured in the accident.

The paper gave no details on the causes of the explosion.

The Flamanville power plant houses two pressurized water reactors that produce 1.3 GWe each and came into service in 1986 and 1987, respectively. Construction on the new reactor, Flamanville 3, began in 2007. Its start-up is scheduled for late 2018.