Name of the Project
Olkiluoto (OL) 3 European pressurised reactor (EPR) project.
Location
Western Finland.
Client
Teollisuuden Voima Oyj (TVO).
Project Description
The project involves the construction of the OL3 nuclear power plant unit, which will include an EPR adjacent to the existing OL1 and OL2 units.
OL3 will have an output of about 1 600 MW.
Potential Job Creation
Not stated.
Value
The project is estimated at more than €3-billion.
Duration
Operations are expected to start in 2020.
Latest Developments
The start of regular electricity generation at OL3 has been postponed by a further four months and is now expected to begin in January 2020, according to a World Nuclear News article.
The Areva-Siemens consortium announced last month that it wanted to update the schedule for completing the unit as commissioning tests were taking longer than expected. The fuel will now be loaded into the reactor core in June 2019, with grid connection expected to take place in October 2019.
Under the previous schedule provided by the consortium in June this year, fuel loading was expected in January 2020, grid connection in May and the start of regular electricity in September.
Hot functional testing of the EPR started last December and was completed in May, 50 days later than planned. These key operational tests ensure that coolant circuits and nuclear safety systems are functioning properly before fuel is loaded. They are the first tests at plant level where the reactor and turbine plant are operated as a whole, although still without fuel.
The delay in completing the hot functional tests was owing to vibrations in pressuriser surge line. Based on the results, TVO has said that a comprehensive modification package will be implemented at OL3 to update the plant’s electrical and instrumentation control system.
Key Contracts and Suppliers
Areva–Siemens Consortium, comprising (plant supplier).
On Budget and on Time?
Areva is constructing the plant under a fixed-price turnkey contract. TVO selected EPR technology for OL3 in 2003 and AREVA-Siemens Consortium started the construction works in spring 2005 with an objective to start the electricity production in spring 2009.
Contact Details for Project Information
OL3 senior VP Jouni Silvennoinen, tel. +358 2 8381 4100.