The construction teams at Olkiluoto 3 have successfully installed the 170-tonne reactor vessel head, the last of the heavy components for the Finnish EPR.
The milestone makes OL3 the "first EPR with a fully equipped reactor vessel, which is ready to accommodate a core of fuel assemblies," AREVA said.
TVO said that fuel would be installed once a licence has been granted from the Finnish nuclear regulator (STUK).
The reactor vessel head installation was executed using the EPR's polar crane, which allows heavy components to be moved around within the reactor building.
"This delicate maneuver is a symbolic step in the history of the EPR reactor, and I would like to congratulate the teams who succeeded in carrying it out with perfection," said Jean-Pierre Mouroux, Olkiluoto 3 project director.
Photo: The OL3 construction site in October (Source: TVO)
