EDF / 2019 Universal registration document

1. The Group, its strategy and activities Description of the Group’s activities

Hydropower generation in France 1.4.1.5.1 The electricity hydro-generated by EDF in mainland France in 2019 (including pumped

electricity system for many reasons, particularly in terms of grid security and balancing. EDF SA’s hydropower fleet  (1) in mainland France is constituted of 432 plants at the end of 2019 with an average age of 75 years  (2) :

storage) totalled 39.7TWh, 9% of its total electricity output. EDF’s hydropower generation fleet 1.4.1.5.1.1

Hydroelectricity is the second source of electricity generation after nuclear power and the first source of renewable electricity in France. This is an important sector for the

31/12/2019

Hydropower plants

31/12/2018

TOTAL MAXIMUM CAPACITY (IN GW)

20.1 39.7

20.0 46.5

TOTAL OUTPUT INCLUDING PUMPING* (IN TWH)

Consumption by pumping operations (in TWh)

6.3

7.3

Corresponds to the sum of the exact values rounded to one decimal place. *

EDF also operates other power plants via subsidiaries, affiliated to EDF SA or Edev. Operation of these infrastructures benefits from EDF SA’s competencies and expertise in hydropower technology. Within mainland France, hydropower plants are mainly located in mountainous areas in the Pyrenées, the Alps, the Massif Central and the Jura, as well as on the Rhine. In all, they represent an installed capacity of approximately 20GW (excluding French overseas departments and Corsica), or 23% of EDF fleet’s installed capacity, for an annual productible energy around 40TWh. The various hydropower facilities are designed to optimise the use of water resources in the valleys where they are situated, as part of multi-purpose water management

base to peak generation which also offer levers for optimisation due to their flexibility: “run-of-river” plants, like the ones on the Rhine, which have almost no storage capacity and generate electricity depending on the available water flow; plants with pondage, thus accessing average-sized reservoirs (smaller than lakes) for occasional use during the week or during the day, to cover peaks in demand; lake plants (seasonal reservoirs) located in mountainous areas (Alps, Massif Central and Pyrenées); pumped-storage plants, which pump water from a lower reservoir to an upper reservoir during periods of low demand when electricity is also lower in cost, in order to build up reserves used to generate energy at peak times (by releasing the stored water through turbines from the upper reservoir to the lower reservoir); and a tidal power plant on the River Rance (Brittany) which, using the up and down

(detailed in section 1.4.1.5.1.4 “Hydropower generation issues”). Given the size and movement of the tides, provides a very regular supply of electricity. variety of its fleet, EDF has facilities able to respond to all types of desired uses, from

Average generation capability over 50 years

Facility category

Turbine capacity

Run-of-river Lake-supplied

3.6GW 8.2GW 3.1GW 5.0GW 240MW

16.5TWh 14.5TWh 8.1TWh 1.5TWh 0.5TWh

Pondage

Pumped-storage

Tidal

Hydropower safety 1.4.1.5.1.2 Hydropower safety comprises all the measures taken when designing and operating hydropower plants to reduce risks and hazards to people and property associated with water and the presence or operation of facilities. Hydropower safety is the major and permanent concern of the producer (see section 2.2.4 “Operational Performance”, risk factor 4B "impact on hydropower safety"). It involves three main activities: the management of operational risks, by providing information to users ■ (communication campaigns, information of the people operating on waterways, hiring “hydro-guides” during the summer months) about changes to water levels or flow fluctuations in powerplants downstream waterways; the management of facilities during periods of exceptionally high water levels, in ■ order to ensure safety at the facilities and for the surrounding communities; measures to address the major risk associated with dam or reservoir failures, ■ through the regular monitoring and maintenance of facilities under the supervision of public authorities. Of the largest dams, 67 of them are subject to a special administrative procedure (“Special Intervention Plan”) implemented by the relevant prefect.

EDF performs regular monitoring and maintenance of dams, in particular by means of continuous structural health monitoring. In addition, for each of the 239 A and B class dams (categories established in French legislation based on decree 2015-526 of 12 May 2015 pertaining to applicable rules for infrastructures built or developed with a view to the prevention of flooding and safety regulations for hydraulic infrastructures, enshrined in the French Environment Code), a hazard study is carried out every ten or fifteen years (for class A and class B dams respectively). These studies consolidate a satisfactory overview of the structures and associated countermeasures  (3) , and include a complete assessment made using underwater equipment or by emptying the reservoir. These operations are carried out under the strict supervision of public authorities. Since 2006, the engineering programmes for the safety and performance components of the hydropower fleet in operation have continued with a high level of investment, ensuring the careful management of major safety-related activities and providing them with national visibility. The goal is the technical updating and improved maintenance of the facilities, in order to maintain a high level of hydropower safety and preserve the technical performance of the fleet over the long-term.

(2) Arithmetic average (1) EDF Hydro, i.e. EDF SA in mainland France, including both non-controlled and controlled subsidiaries and borderland entities (3) For further details, see the annual report of the Inspector of Hydropower Safety, available on EDF’s website.

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EDF | Universal registration document 2019

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