Each 500-ton steam generator is 24.15 meters high and 3.8 meters in diameter. The pressurizer weighs in at 150 tons
- By Stephen Heiser -
The four steam generators1 and pressurizer2 that make up a nuclear reactor’s heavy components were delivered to the Olkiluoto 3 nuclear plant in Finland, having left their manufacturing plant in Chalon/St-Marcel (France) in late October.
The components were shipped to the port of Rauma, Finland, where they were unloaded and transported to the OL3 site.
The teams from the St-Marcel plant, the world leader in manufacturing nuclear heavy components, demonstrated their ability to meet exacting requirements that drew on their know-how of engineering and hi-tech manufacturing.
Each 500-ton steam generator is 24.15 meters high and 3.8 meters in diameter. The pressurizer weighs in at 150 tons.
As the shipment arrived in Finland, Luc Oursel, CEO of AREVA NP stated, “We can all be proud of having completed this symbolic step and of the first ever main coolant components manufactured for an EPR reactor. This first successful production of generation III+ components strengthens our market position and adds to our 35 years of industrial experience.”
1 Steam generators transfer heat from the water in the primary system to the water in the secondary system, which is turned into steam that drives a turbine connected to an electricity-generating alternator.
2 The pressurizer keeps the pressure in the primary system at a given value (around 150 bar) to prevent the water from boiling.
All over the world, AREVA provides its customers with solutions for carbon-free power generation and electricity transmission. With its knowledge and expertise in these fields, the group has a leading role to play in meeting the world’s energy needs.
Ranked first in the global nuclear power industry, AREVA's unique integrated offering covers every stage of the fuel cycle, reactor design and construction, and related services.
In addition, the group is developing a portfolio of operations in renewable energies. AREVA is also a world leader in electricity transmission and distribution and offers its customers a complete range of solutions for greater grid stability and energy efficiency.
Sustainable development is a core component of the group’s industrial strategy. Its 75,000 employees work every day to make AREVA a responsible industrial player that is helping to supply ever cleaner, safer and more economical energy to the greatest number of people.