Orys: leading the way in high-performance nuclear piping
Orys-Grands Projets Energie teams have delivered high-quality piping installations for the first three reactor units. These demanding projects are ongoing, aiming to enhance the safety of France’s Nuclear Power Production Centers (CNPE) operated by EDF.
Since 2020, the Ortec Group has been executing the EAS-u/PTR BIS contract across ten reactor units, installing two ultimate emergency cooling circuits per unit – totaling 20 work sites.
The two circuits are designed to cool nuclear fuel in case of an extreme emergency. They provide an additional level of safety, taking over from the primary emergency systems should the latter fail. The first circuit (contract EAS-u) cools the fuel in the reactor core in the event of a major accident. The second (PTR BIS) cools the fuel in the deactivation pool where it is stored.
The Cruas 3 reactor unit was the third EAS Ultime circuit successfully delivered, out of the ten planned. Each project takes around 18 months to complete.
At this stage, 8300 welds have been completed (6300 in the workshop and 2000 on site). The project engages up to 160 team members (studies, workshops and works) from various Ortec entities: Orys Grands Projets, SOM Calcul Marseille, Orys Marcoule and the Pierrelatte workshop. By the end of 2025, seven units will have been delivered or will be underway.
As the work progresses, the repetitive nature of these installations continues to enhance efficiency and productivity.
Leader in high-quality piping
The project studies were carried out in collaboration with SOM, with procurement managed by the GPE Department, followed by prefabrication in Pierrelatte and on-site assembly by Orys teams.
In 2024, Orys was awarded the MTS23 contract for the design and manufacturing of new piping circuits. This reinforces the Ortec Group’s ongoing role in ensuring the high quality and reliability standards required by EDF for its nuclear facilities. Work is scheduled to continue until 2028.
Looking to the future
“ We have a development strategy in the field of high-quality piping. These controlled-zone projects position us among the industry’s top piping specialists, demonstrating our high-level execution capabilities. They have also driven investments in the Pierrelatte workshop, along with the hiring and training of skilled talent,“ explains Yannick Fons, Director of the Grands Projets Energie Department.
DUS, EAS-u, PTR BIS, MTS23… “These contracts strengthen our trusted relationship with the client, paving the way for future EPR2 reactor projects while keeping our qualified teams and infrastructure fully engaged in new construction work,” concludes Yannick Fons.
At the core of nuclear safety challenges
All of these projects comply with the “Nuclear Pressure Equipment” (ESPN) regulations and align with the post-Fukushima recommendations issued by the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) in 2011 to enhance the safety of nuclear power plants in France.
Orys has been committed to meeting these safety challenges from the beginning, having successfully delivered 36 Ultimate Emergency Diesel Generators (DUS) – critical systems designed to withstand extreme scenarios, ensuring reactor integrity under any circumstances.
