Modernization to increase competitiveness

Mochovce VVER nuclear power plant in Slovakia

AREVA is overseeing modernization projects on existing light water reactor nuclear power plants across the globe. In this way, the group is responding to the major objectives of operators: to improve the safety of the units in operation, increase the performance of installations and extend their lifetime.

Modernization and modifications of existing nuclear power plants

Installed base business unit manages projects to modernize nuclear installations currently in operation.
 
These projects center around three main goals:

  • improved plant safety,
  • increased plant performance, 
  • plant life management or extension.

AREVA carries out modification projects for different types of plants. The experience and knowledge acquired on all existing systems enables AREVA to optimize the organization and duration of the plant outages required to implement the modernization packages.

Projects right across the globe

  • France - Decennial outage of 900 MW power plants: participation in important modifications required after third decennial outage of its units, in particular replacement of system valves and safety injection system.
  • Sweden - Oskashamm 2, Ringhals 4: a consortium between ARE and Siemens is modernizing the power plant's unit and will extend its lifetime. AREVA has won a contract to replace the steam generators at Ringhals 4, which will be carried out in 2011.
  • Slovakia - Mochovce 3 and 4: completion of WER-type units of Russian origin.
  • Bulgaria - Belene 1 &2: completion of WER-type units of Russian origin, following an agreement between the Bulgarian electric utility NEK and the Russian company AtomStroyexport (ASE). AREVA is involved as ASE's designated service provider, in partnership with Siemens, to supply safety-classified HVAC systems; safe instrumentation and control and operational control; electrical systems and equipment.
  • United States - Turkey Point 3 &4: AREVA, with Day &Zimmermann, is in charge of an RTE (&dquo;Road to Excellence&dquo;) project for the client Florida Power &Light. This turnkey program consists of implementing around forty modifications over a period of five years with the aim of modernizing units 3 and 4 at the Turkey Point site.

Instrumentation and control modernization

The instrumentation and control systems modernization essentially consists of replacing obsolete analogue technology with digital technology. This is a significant part of plant modernizations throughout the world.

Several projects are currently in progress:

  • Sweden: Oskarshamm
  • Finland: Lovisaa
  • United States: Oconee
  • Czech Republic: Dukovany
  • Slovakia : Mochovce 3 and 4
  • Several clients in Germany (Philipburg2) and China (Qinshan

Electrical systems are also well represented, whether they be successfully completed as in South Africa (Koeberg); in progress, such as those in Belgium and China; or signed contracts, as in China for emergency diesel generators.