68
NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, July-August 2014
Major
Modernization
OKG, Sweden has decided to
extend the safety modernization of
Oskarshamn-2. The modernization work
in the turbine hall has been successfully
completed, as have all the major
mechanical installations. The full focus
is on the installation of electric power
and control equipment. This is the most
comprehensive part of the work and
includes the rebuilding of the control
room:
“As the project has been evaluated,
schedules have constantly been made
and the focus on safety and quality of
implementation always been the highest
priority. Since we can see there will
be delays in the work connected with
the electrical and control equipment,
we have decided to extend the safety
modernization. We are now looking
at the schedules together with the
main suppliers, to see when the restart
of the plant can occur,” says Johan
Svenningsson, Managing Director of
OKG.
The delays have been partly caused
by the unique and advanced nature of the
challenge of laying an enormous volume
of cables in an existing facility, with
the limitations and the requirements for
separation. This delay also delays other
work and affects the possible restart date.
“The initial schedule and input data
that we received from the main suppliers
to the safety modernization contain some
uncertainties and indicate a restart in
spring 2015. Our own initial assessment
indicates a restart during summer 2015.
Until these uncertainties have been
clarified, OKG will be unable to give
any exact information about the planned
restart date. It is clear however that the
plant will be shut down over the coming
winter, which we naturally regret,” says
Johan Svenningsson.
The current modernization of
Oskarshamn-2 is in total a very large
and complex industrial project, which
involves an investment of approximately
SEK 8 billion ($1.17 billion). The project
has therefore been divided into stages;
safety modernization is the second last
and most significant stage. Because of
delays during the safety modernization,
OKG has already advised that the
coming power increase stage will not be
performed during 2015. The aim is now
to implement the power increase during
2017.
Oskarshamn-1 has completed its annual
maintenance shutdown and is once more
in operation. The annual maintenance
shutdown at Oskarshamn-3 is now
ongoing – the planned restart is June 30,
2014.
Facts
The safety modernization began
on June 1, 2013 and is the second
to last stage in the modernization of
Oskarshamn-2. The modernization of
Oskarshamn-2 covers a safety upgrade,
plant life extension and a power increase.
It has been calculated that after the
project is completed, the plant will be
able to deliver competitive electricity for
at least another 20 years.
The modernization creates added
value for the electricity consumer and also
the environment, by replacing fossil-based
electricity production in the European
energy system equivalent to 1 million tons
of carbon dioxide a year.
800 tons of new components will be
installed in the plant and 850 kilometers
of cable will be laid. 5,800 different items
in the plant are affected and the heaviest
lift is 158 tons. 80,000 connections and
20,000 welds will be made. More than
2,000 people from several European
countries are involved in the project.
The modernization project will be
concluded with a power increase from
660 MW to 840 MW.
OKG was founded in 1965 and today
owns and operates three nuclear reactor
units – Oskarshamn-1, 2 and 3 – which
together account for ten percent of the
total electricity generation in Sweden.
OKG presently has approximately 850
employees.
The plant is located on the Swedish
east coast, 30 km north of Oskarshamn.
Oskarshamn-1, also Sweden’s first
commercial nuclear power unit, was
commissioned in 1972. Oskarshamn-2
has been in operation since 1974 and
Oskarshamn-3 was put into commercial
operation in 1985.
Contact: website:
