Finland's OL3 nuclear reactor risks more delays after damage found (updated)

INTER RAO Lietuva AB

18/10/2022 22:06

(Adds detail)
       OSLO, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Damage has been detected in the
feedwater pumps of Finland's Olkiluoto 3 (OL3) nuclear reactor
during maintenance work, which will likely delay the
commissioning of the plant and the startup of regular
production, operator TVO said on Tuesday.
    The damage to Europe's largest nuclear reactor is a setback
for Finland, where the national grid operator has warned of
potential power blackouts in the coming winter if OL3 could not
reliably supply electricity.
    Imports of power to Finland from Russia stopped in May after
Russian utility Inter RAO said it had not been paid for the
power it sold, increasing Finland's need for OL3's output.
    Under construction since 2005, OL3 was originally meant to
start operation in 2009, but has faced several technical
mishaps, which sparked costly delays and a lengthy legal battle.
        TVO said the latest problem had occurred in pumps
located in the so-called turbine island at the heart of the
nuclear reactor's power production, where water from its
feedwater tank is pumped into steam generators.
  
        While the damage would "most likely" impact the
reactor's scheduled startup, it was not yet clear how long any
delay would be, TVO said.
  
    Test production at OL3 began this year, and regular
electricity output at the reactor had been set to start on Dec.
14, TVO has said.
    "The damage detected at the pumps has no impact on nuclear
safety," the company said on its website.
 (Reporting by Terje Solsvik; Editing by Mark Porter and David
Gregorio)
 ((terje.solsvik@thomsonreuters.com; +47 918 666 70))