Electricite de France S.A. (EdF www.edf.fr ) announced an emergency program to replace all of the bearings in its nuclear reactor backup cooling pumps. 30 of the 34 total 900 megawatt reactors across the country are affected.

In tests, the EdF found bearings in the backup cooling pumps, which are used in the case of an emergency or failure of the primary pumps, failed after only a few hours.

After discovering the bearing failures during regular tests, EdF reported it to the French Nuclear Safety Authority. The bearing replacement was identified as a "level two common cause" situation, and immediate steps began to address the problem.

EdF stressed there has never been such an incident requiring the backup cooling pumps, and that there are still other backup cooling options available, should they be needed before the bearings can be replaced.

All of the backup cooling pump motor bearings are scheduled to be replaced by April 2006.

France first embraced nuclear power in 1956, with 300MW generators. Today, the country meets over 80% of its electrical power needs by employing 58 reactors at 19 different sites. Most are pressurized water reactors. There are 34 of the 900MW reactors, 20 of the 1,300MW reactors, and four new 1,450MW reactors.

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