The safety of Fortum's Loviisa nuclear power plant is enhanced with new air cooling towers
PRESS RELEASE 17 April 2013
During 2014, a new air cooling system, independent of seawater cooling, will be constructed for Fortum's Loviisa nuclear power plant. The system will improve the plant's preparedness for extreme conditions when seawater for some reason becomes unavailable for its normal cooling function.
The cooling system consists of two air cooling towers per unit, one of which will be used for removing decay heat from the reactor, the other from the spent fuel pools as well as cooling off other equipment critical from the nuclear safety point of view. The towers will be located in square buildings, each measuring 10 x 15 meters and about 10 meters in height. The towers used for decay heat removal from the reactors will be located in the same building.
The cooling towers will improve safety at Loviisa NPP in extreme conditions when seawater becomes unavailable for cooling, such as an oil catastrophe in the Gulf of Finland, or an exceptional natural phenomenon such as excessive algae growth. The plant is already equipped with back-up systems for loss of seawater, but the new air cooling towers will reinforce its safety even further.
Fortum has studied and developed this new cooling system independent of seawater for several years. The project will be carried out as a part of Loviisa's annual investment program. The air cooling towers also became a development target in the safety assessments carried out by the Finnish Radiation Safety Authority STUK in 2012 as a part of the so-called stress tests within the European Union.
The air cooling towers will be delivered by the Hungarian GEA EGI Contracting/Engineering Co. Ltd.
Fortum Corporation
Corporate Communications
For further information, please contact:
Samuli Savolainen, puh. 050 455 4020, samuli.savolainen@fortum.com
Fortum's Loviisa nuclear power plant
In 2012, Fortum's Loviisa nuclear power plant produced 7.61 terawatt hours of electricity, corresponding to about 10 percent of the total annual power consumption in Finland. Loviisa Power Plant has one of the best safety and availability records among the world's nuclear power plants. The load factor describing annual production is high in international comparison, e.g. 87.4 percent last year.
Further information: www.fortum.com/loviisa
Fortum
Fortum's purpose is to create energy that improves life for present and future generations. We provide sustainable solutions that fulfil the needs for low emissions, resource efficiency and energy security, and deliver excellent value to our shareholders. Our activities cover the generation, distribution and sales of electricity and heat as well as related expert services.
Fortum's operations focus on the Nordic countries, Russia, Poland and the Baltics. In the future, the integrating European and fast-growing Asian energy markets provide additional growth opportunities. In 2012, Fortum’s sales totalled EUR 6.2 billion and comparable operating profit was EUR 1.7 billion. We employ approximately 10,400 people. Fortum’s shares are quoted on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki.
Further information: www.fortum.com/fi.