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nuclear•chain

Marcoule nuclear power plant G3

Retired France
Gross capacity
43MW

Marcoule nuclear power plant G3 is a gas-cooled reactor unit at Marcoule nuclear power plant in France rated at 43 MW gross. It is retired. Commercial operation began 4 Apr 1960.

Specification
Reactor type Gas-cooled reactor (GCR)
Modelnot disclosed
Size classLarge
CoolantCarbon dioxide
ModeratorGraphite
Gross capacity43MW
Net capacity (reference)40MW
Net capacity (design)36MW
Thermal output260MWt
Typical enrichmentNatural uranium to 2.5–3.5% U-235
Ownership & location
SiteMarcoule nuclear power plant
UnitG3
CountryFrance
OwnerCommissariat À L'Energie Atomique100%
OperatorCompagnie Generale Des Matieres Nucleaires
Coordinates 44.1433, 4.7094
Fuel chain for this unit
Fuel form
Uranium metal (Magnox) or uranium dioxide (AGR)
Enrichment
Natural uranium to 2.5–3.5% U-235 no enrichment required
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Fabricator capability is recorded against reactor type and model line, not against named units — utilities do not publish fuel contracts.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 Mar 1956Construction start
  2. 11 Jun 1959First criticality
  3. 4 Apr 1960Grid connection
  4. 4 Apr 1960Commercial operation
  5. 20 Jun 1984Permanent shutdown

Other units at Marcoule nuclear power plant

UnitStatusGross MW
Marcoule nuclear power plant Astrid 1 Cancelled 600
Marcoule nuclear power plant G1 Retired 7
Marcoule nuclear power plant G2 Retired 43

Sources