A team of experts from The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has completed a review of long-term operational safety at unit 3 of the Oskarshamn NPP in Sweden. The Pre-SALTO (Safety Aspects of Long-Term Operation) review mission was requested by the plant’s operator, Oskarshamns Kraftgrupp (OKG) Aktiebolag. The 1400MWe boiling water reactor at Oskarshamn 3 was put into commercial operation in 1985 with a design life of 40 years. The plant operator is preparing to extend the operating lifetime to 60 years.
The SALTO team assessed the strategy and key elements for the safe long-term operation of the plant based on IAEA safety standards. During the 10-day mission that ended on 8 September, the team reviewed the plant’s preparedness, organisation and programmes for safe long-term operation (LTO). The nine-person team comprised experts from Argentina, Armenia, Brazil, Canada, France and the UK, as well as two IAEA staff members.
“The team observed that OKG Aktiebolag is implementing preparations for safe LTO in a timely manner and the staff at the plant are professional, open and receptive to suggestions for improvement,” said team leader and IAEA Nuclear Safety Officer Martin Marchena. “Some ageing management and LTO activities already meet IAEA safety standards. We encourage the plant to address the review findings and implement all remaining activities for safe LTO as planned.”
“We appreciate the IAEA’s support to our plant in ageing management and preparation for safe LTO,” said Johan Lundberg, Managing Director of OKG. “It’s very important for us to get an external view of our business. The competencies and experience of the IAEA team enable it to effectively identify our areas for improvement. The results of this mission will help us to improve our activities for safe LTO and to further align them with IAEA safety standards.”
The team identified good practices and good performances that will be shared with the nuclear industry globally, including:
- The plant has developed and fully implemented a comprehensive system for the management of spare parts’ obsolescence.
- The plant has developed and implemented performance monitoring of the cooling circuits for fouling and flow resistance.
- The plant has developed and implemented a machine learning software to monitor turbine performance.
The team also provided recommendations to further enhance the preparations for LTO safety:
- The plant should ensure adequate resource planning to support the LTO programme.
- The plant should fully define the organisational arrangements for LTO.
- The plant should implement an appropriate knowledge management process.
The plant management expressed a determination to address the areas identified for improvement. The team provided a draft report to the plant management and to the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM). The plant management and SSM will have an opportunity to make factual comments on the draft. A final report will be submitted to the plant management, SSM and the Swedish Government within three months.
