The European pressurized water reactor-designed for the new millennium

For five years Nuclear Power International, Siemens and Framatome, in cooperation with Electricité de France and the major German utilities, have worked to develop the European pressurized water reactor (EPR). This nuclear power plant, dedicated to providing power for the new millennium, is now ready for construction. This paper describes the development of the EPR, which is an advanced design based on an evolutionary approach. Such an approach maximizes the operational experience gained from more than 100 nuclear power plants designed and constructed by Siemens and Framatome. The paper goes on to outline the merits of this design, namely improved safety at competitive cost, and a standardization of design which enables construction on a worldwide scale. The development of the EPR has paved the way for the future of nuclear power; all that is now required is the political will to implement it.