en.Wedoany.com Reported - Technology and engineering company Technip Energies has signed a non-exclusive strategic framework agreement with Électricité de France (EDF) to accelerate the execution, construction management, and delivery of EDF's new EPR2 nuclear projects. Under the agreement, Technip Energies will embed experienced project management and construction experts directly into integrated teams staffed by EDF personnel.
EDF stated that the introduction of Technip Energies' proven expertise in delivering large-scale, complex industrial and energy projects is intended to strengthen execution discipline and improve schedule predictability across all of EDF's nuclear new-build activities.
The EPR2 program was unveiled in February 2022, with plans to build six upgraded EPR reactors, with an option for eight more. The first three pairs of EPR2 reactors are slated for the Penly, Gravelines, and Bugey nuclear power plants. Under the plan at that time, construction of the first EPR2 reactor at Penly was expected to begin in 2027, with an estimated project cost of €51.7 billion ($59.5 billion). That cost was revised to €67.4 billion in 2023, and subsequently to €72.8 billion in January.
The target for the first reactor's commissioning has now been revised to 2038, with subsequent reactors following at intervals of 12 to 18 months. As a state-supported measure, the program was submitted to the European Commission (EC) for approval in November 2025, with the aim of reaching a final investment decision by the end of 2026. The European Commission is concerned that subsidies for the fleet would consolidate EDF's dominant market share of over 75% in French electricity generation, thereby deterring new commercial entrants. The Commission is specifically auditing the three pillars of this €72.8 billion program: subsidized state loans covering 60% of construction costs, a 40-year contract-for-difference (CfD) price guarantee, and a formal risk-sharing mechanism protecting EDF against delays.
The EPR2 program is designed to directly address and remedy the systemic project failures exposed during the construction of France's Flamanville 3 and Finland's Olkiluoto 3, the first two EPR projects—both of which were delayed by around a decade and significantly over budget. Construction of Flamanville 3 began in 2007 before the technical engineering blueprints were complete, and repairing thick-section penetrations and safety welds took years. France had not built a commercial nuclear reactor domestically since 1996, and EDF's transfer of excessive risk to external suppliers once caused severe execution bottlenecks.
The collaboration between EDF and Technip Energies is a direct response to the issues encountered on the Flamanville 3 and Olkiluoto 3 projects. Technip Energies' involvement brings mature large-scale industrial project discipline to EPR2 construction, with the primary objective of establishing rigorous project execution discipline to ensure schedule certainty. Technip Energies has decades of experience managing highly complex international energy infrastructure. With the planned commissioning date for the first pair of EPR2 units at Penly having slipped from 2035 to 2038, rigorous external project oversight is considered critical. Technip Energies is not participating as a hands-off third-party consultant; rather, it will embed managers directly within EDF teams to oversee construction sites and the supply chain.
"This agreement marks a new chapter in the collaboration between EDF and Technip Energies," said Loïc Chapuis, President of Project Delivery & Services at Technip Energies. "By combining EDF's long-standing nuclear expertise with Technip Energies' experience in delivering highly complex industrial and energy infrastructure, our integrated teams will provide execution and schedule certainty support for major nuclear projects. Beyond operational benefits, this collaboration reflects the long-term industrial partnership needed to realize France's nuclear ambitions and supports the future of the EPR2 program."
Thierry Le Mouroux, Senior Executive Vice President of EDF Group, in charge of nuclear projects and industrial partnerships, noted: "This strategic collaboration combines the complementary expertise of both companies. EDF Group brings its mastery of reactor engineering and an efficient supply chain dedicated to building EPR2, while Technip Energies contributes its globally recognized project management skills. Together, we will strengthen the French nuclear team to ensure the successful delivery of the EPR2 program—on time, within budget, and to the expected level of safety."
