Climate Change: Overview of the Process and Methodologies Used by EDF for Taking Into Account the Effects of Climate Change in the Design of Nuclear Power Plants

Abstract Climate Change is one of the greatest environmental challenges facing the world. Its effects are systemic and evolutive because of its dependance with human activities. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) highlights that the world efforts to reduce greenhouse gases emissions are not on track to limit global warming to 1.5°C by 2100 in comparison to pre-industrial era. As several countries, France signed a legal duty to reach Net Zero by 2050. Generation of low carbon electricity is part of solutions required to meet the Net Zero target. EDF operating nuclear fleet in France updated its life cycle analysis leading to a carbon footprint of 4 grams of CO2 equivalent per kWh [1]. On one hand, this result highlights that alongside renewables, nuclear facilities are part of the solutions to reduce greenhouse gases emissions. On the other hand, those facilities require to be adapted and resilient to the effects of Climate Change for their entire lifetime. For Nuclear Facilities, Climate Change can impact safety, electricity generation and environmental impacts during the different steps of the facility development (design, building) and for its entire lifetime (operation and decommissioning). Considering the possible effects of climate change, EDF has developed a systemic and evolutive approach to design and manage the adaptation process of its nuclear facilities with climate change. This approach called “ADAPT program” is structured around 4 pillars (understand, characterize, mobilize and act) and 4 work packages: (i) natural and water resources, (ii) industrial facility, (iii) supply chain local logistics work conditions and (iv) local environment of the Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). In this article, we focus on the industrial facility work package. The whole process is described, and the goals of the different steps are explained as well as the principles applied to integrate the effects of climate change in the process. The risk assessment step is detailed. An example for the design against heatwaves is given for new and existing Nuclear Power Plant.