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France's oldest nuclear power plant could remain operational until 2019, after EDF said a new-generation reactor in the Manche is behind schedule.

A decree published in 2017 paved the way for the closure of the Fessenheim plant, which has been in service since 1978, when the Flamanville 3 reactor became operational. Then-President Francois Hollande had previously pledged during his election campaign that the Haut-Rhin plant would close by 2017.

Flamanville 3 was due to enter service in late 2018, but EDF said in a statement that "quality deviations" on welds in reactor piping connecting the steam generator and the turbine mean that commissioning could be delayed until the summer of next year.