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Brennilis nuclear power plant

Retired France
Gross capacity
75MW

Brennilis nuclear power plant is a pressurised heavy water reactor unit at Brennilis nuclear power plant in France rated at 75 MW gross. It is retired. Commercial operation began 1 Jun 1968.

Specification
Reactor type Pressurised heavy water reactor (PHWR)
ModelMONTS-D'ARREE
Size classLarge
CoolantHeavy water
ModeratorHeavy water
Gross capacity75MW
Net capacity (reference)70MW
Net capacity (design)70MW
Thermal output250MWt
Typical enrichmentNatural uranium, 0.71% U-235
Ownership & location
SiteBrennilis nuclear power plant
Unitnot stated
CountryFrance
OwnerElectricité de France SA100%
OperatorElectricité de France
Coordinates 48.3551, -3.8719
Fuel chain for this unit
Fuel form
Natural uranium dioxide bundles
Enrichment
Natural uranium, 0.71% U-235 no enrichment required
Who makes this assembly
Upstream

This unit runs on natural uranium, so its fuel chain has no enrichment step at all: mine → mill → conversion → fabrication. That is the shortest fuel chain of any commercial reactor type, and it makes the operator independent of the four organisations that control enrichment worldwide.

Conversion
CamecoCNNCConverDynOranoRosatom
Fabricator capability is recorded against reactor type and model line, not against named units — utilities do not publish fuel contracts. See the fuel chain.

Timeline

  1. 1 Jul 1962Construction start
  2. 23 Dec 1966First criticality
  3. 9 Jul 1967Grid connection
  4. 1 Jun 1968Commercial operation
  5. 31 Jul 1985Permanent shutdown

Sources