a tale of two nuclear power plants the importance of maintenance · a tale of two nuclear power...
TRANSCRIPT
A tale of two nuclear power plants
– The importance of maintenanceJan Blomgren
CEO, INBEx, Sweden
SUMMARY
Case study: Forsmark and Olkiluoto
Two technically (close to) identical plants
But different business and political conditions
Conclusion: Clear focus and persistent maintenance strategy is
beneficial
BACKGROUND
Olkiluoto 1 and 2 (Finland)
Forsmark 1 and 2 (Sweden)
Same vendor: ASEA-ATOM
(today part of Westinghouse)
Very similar construction
Very similar physical environment
Blue: Forsmark 1 and 2
Brown: Olkiluoto 1 and 2
Both reached high availability rapidly
Olkiluoto has kept high availability
Deteriorating availability at Forsmark
1995-
Why?
OPERATION
Only country besides USA and USSR that has
developed nuclear power from scratch
9 Swedish BWRs + 2 Swedish BWRs built in Finland
(Olkiluoto)
Start in 1947: develop nuclear power and weapons
(yep, we did that…)
Sweden has the World’s largest absolute
nuclear power production (kWh per capita)
SWEDISH HISTORY
Referendum 1980
Decision: Operate until 2010,
then phase out.
Phase-out abandoned around 2005
New-build allowed 2011
Presently anti-nuclear government,
But population mostly pro-nuclear
CHANGING LANDSCAPE
Market deregulation 1996
Large excess capacity → very low prices
→ reduced maintenance
Reasonable prices a few years later
Closing abandoned around 2005
Regulator:
Safety upgrades needed for long-term operation
Political pressure to uprate power
In retrospect: Simultaneous modernization and
power uprates over-ambitious
DE-REGULATION
Politics:
Political decisions are generally respected
Nuclear power not politically decisive
Only early licensing stages are political
Market:
Power plants owned by users (heavy industry)
Mankala principle: tax favours when using
own electricity
Large fossil production, large import
Less hydro power = stronger incentives for
short outages in the summer
THE FINLAND SCENE
Sweden: Unstable conditions – frequent changes
Finland: Stability and predictability
Clear focus and persistent conditions are beneficial
CONCLUSION