The Krško NPP, which was shut down in early October after the discovery of a leak in the primary circuit connection system, is preparing to restart following repairs to the pipeline, according to operator Nuklearna Elektrarna Krško (NEK). The welding of the second new segment of the pipeline in the valve room in the containment has been completed, NEK said. The quality of the welds was confirmed by non-destructive methods. “With this, the replacement of pipelines was completed and preparations for restarting the power plant began.”
In line with the outage plan, 121 fuel elements are being transferred from the used fuel pool back into the reactor vessel. “Once this transfer is complete, the heating of the systems will follow; their operation will be verified with an extensive surveillance testing programme. We plan to synchronise the generator with the power grid in mid-November.”
The Krško plant is co-owned by Croatia’s Hrvatska Elektroprivreda (HEP) and Slovenia's GEN Energija. Krsko NPP, located in Slovenia near the border with Croatia, generates some 40% of Slovenia's electricity output. The 696 MWe Westinghouse pressurised water reactor, which is some 100 kilometres from the Austrian border, is Slovenia's only NPP.
Image: Krško nuclear power plant (courtesy of NEK)
