Areva and Siemens have informed Teollisuuden Voima Oy (TVO) there will be a delay building Olkiluoto 3’s safety features, such as for aeroplane crash resistance.
Construction delays were also reported in January and December 2006.
TVO said the supplier firms’ schedule now estimates the reactor building main civil construction works will continue until winter 2009, but they were originally set for completion after summer 2008.
TVO project director Martin Landtman said TVO was disappointed the suppliers were only reporting the time needed for works at this stage. He added that the key issue is to achieve safety and quality requirements.
The substantial delay will have an impact on erection and installation works. TVO and the suppliers are set to review the supplier's plans for mitigating delays and completing remaining works.
TVO has suggested it will not announce a completion date for unit 3 until the end of civil construction, estimated to be in 2009. But it has said the delays are likely to postpone commercial operations until 2011.
Commercial operation of unit 3 was originally planned for 2009.
Other work on unit 3 continues, with the reactor building containment reaching +12m this summer (from -7m). The workforce on site has doubled since autumn 2006 and has now reached 2000.
Manufacture of primary components is proceeding and factory acceptance tests for the turbines have begun.
The reactor coolant pipes are being re-forged.
TVO image of construction of Olkiluoto 3 taken in August 2007. Photo: Hannu Huovila OL3construction Related ArticlesACR-1000 study starts
