France’s state-controlled nuclear energy operator EDF has detected a new crack at its Penly-1 nuclear power plant in its latest update on stress corrosion issues, regulator ANS said on Tuesday (7 March), adding it had classified the finding as classifies it at Level 2 on the International Atomic Energy Agency’s International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES).

Level 2 on the seven-level scale signifies an “incident” with no impact on people and the environment.

ASN said the incident affects the safety function related to reactor cooling and has potential consequences and the increased probability of a rupture.

It said it had asked the company to revise its strategy for repairing its plants.

The crack, in Penly-1’s cooling system, extends over 155 mm, or about a quarter of the circumference of the pipe, and its maximum depth is 23 mm, with a pipe thickness of 27 mm.