First batch of Westinghouse fuel loaded at Fortum’s Loviisa nuclear power plant
FORTUM CORPORATION PRESS RELEASE 2.9.2024
The first batch of Westinghouse Electric Company nuclear fuel has been loaded into Fortum’s Loviisa Nuclear Power Plant during its annual outage in August. The loading of the new fuel is a significant milestone that guarantees a reliable Western alternative for fuel deliveries to the Loviisa power plant.
In November 2022, Fortum signed an agreement with Westinghouse for the design, licensing and supply of a new fuel type for the Loviisa Nuclear Power Plant. During the annual outages in 2023, one test element manufactured by Westinghouse, which did not contain actual uranium pellets, was loaded into the Loviisa 2 reactor of the power plant. The test element was used to obtain mechanical operating experiences of the new fuel type. In this year's annual outages, the test element was found to have worked as expected.
"The safe and reliable operation of our Loviisa Nuclear Power Plant is crucial for Finland's security of supply. Our customers depend on the stable and clean electricity we produce in Loviisa with high availability. Diversifying the power plant's fuel supply has been a priority for us over the past two years, and we are delighted to have reached this significant milestone together with Westinghouse," says Petra Lundström, Executive Vice President, Nuclear Generation at Fortum.
“We are extremely proud of our long-standing partnership of more than 50 years with the Nordic region, working together in nuclear energy to produce carbon-free electricity. Our proven track record supplying the only Western-designed VVER fuel, coupled with our strong regional presence with manufacturing in Sweden, will support Fortum’s long term operational goals,” said Tarik Choho, Westinghouse President of Nuclear Fuel.
In February 2023, the Finnish Government granted a new operating license for the Loviisa power plant until the end of 2050. The agreement with Westinghouse and the fresh fuel in storage will ensure the fuel supply for Loviisa until the procurement is tendered as part of the plant’s lifetime extension. A prerequisite for tendering is the availability of alternative fuel suppliers.
Fortum Corporation
Communications
Further information:
Fortum News Desk, newsdesk@fortum.com, tel. +358 40 198 2843
Visual material: https://mediabank.fortum.com/l/dS6xdJpdD9pk
Loviisa Nuclear Power Plant
In 2023, the load factor at Fortum’s fully-owned Loviisa nuclear power plant was 91.06%. The continuous development and modernisation of the power plant enable load factors that are among the best for pressurised water reactors on an international scale. In 2023, the power plant produced a total of 8.09 terawatt hours (net) of electricity, which is more than 10% of Finland’s electricity production. Fortum employs about 700 nuclear sector professionals, 550 of them work at the Loviisa power plant. Additionally, nearly 100 permanent employees of other companies work in the power plant area every day. More information: www.fortum.com/loviisa
Fortum
Fortum is a Nordic energy company. Our purpose is to power a world where people, businesses and nature thrive together. We are one of the cleanest energy producers in Europe and our actions are guided by our ambitious environmental targets. We generate and deliver clean energy reliably and help industries to decarbonise their processes and grow. Our core operations in the Nordics comprise of efficient, CO2-free power generation as well as reliable supply of electricity and district heat to private and business customers. For our ~5 000 employees, we commit to be a safe, and inspiring workplace. Fortum's share is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. fortum.com
Westinghouse
Westinghouse Electric Company is shaping the future of carbon-free energy by providing safe, innovative nuclear technologies to utilities globally. Westinghouse supplied the world’s first commercial pressurized water reactor in 1957 and the company’s technology is the basis for nearly one-half of the world's operating nuclear plants. Over 135 years of innovation make Westinghouse the preferred partner for advanced technologies covering the complete nuclear energy life cycle. For more information, visit www.westinghousenuclear.com and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and X.
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