“There are still uncertainties surrounding the timetable,” it reads press release from TVO.
Therefore, it is uncertain whether around 14 percent of the domestic electricity production will be covered by the reactor unit during the winter electricity demand peaks that typically occur between January and February. The unit was due to start regular power generation this year after years of delay, but unexpected problems encountered during test operation have pushed the start-up to next year.
TVO reported in October that cracks were found in the impellers of the feed water pumps on all four turbine islands. A decision to launch will not be made until the investigation of the damage and its root cause analyzes are completed, it added on Friday.
“We are now in the analysis phase. The investigations are largely completed and we are now analyzing the results.” Jaana IsotaloTVO’s director of communications, stated For Helsingin Sanomat.
He declined to speculate on what conclusions might be drawn from the study. “All options are on the table at the moment,” he replied.
Feed water pumps pump the water circulating in the secondary circuit of the reactor unit to the evaporator, where the water is converted into steam with the help of the heat produced by the reactor. Steam is used to turn turbine propellers, which in turn turns a generator that produces electricity.
Although critical for the operation of the unit, cracks in the pumps do not affect nuclear safety, according to TVO.
The fact that the investigation has already lasted almost two months is due to the strict security culture, Isotalo told Helsingin Sanomat. “Although the pumps are not critical in terms of nuclear safety, we are proceeding conservatively in all respects. Everything we do is based on facts and analyzed data, which is why this takes time.”
Juhani HyvärinenA professor of energy engineering from LUT University told Iltalehte at the end of October that the information about the cracks in the feed water pumps came as a surprise.
“Such parts shouldn’t start to crack so quickly. They should have lasted until the 2040s. he said to the daily newspaper.
Fingrid estimated on Friday that the latest start-up delay increases the risk of electricity shortages in Finland.
“The risk that we will face a power shortage on a cold winter’s day has increased,” the release states press release. “The availability of domestic production capacity is not as high as previously estimated, which emphasizes the importance of saving and timing the use of electricity to ensure electricity sufficiency.”
Aleksi Teivainen – HT
Source: The Nordic Page