Framatome has been selected by Electrabel (part of the Engie Group) to modernise the rod control system at unit 3 of the Tihange NPP in Belgium plant as part of a life extension programme. Tihange 3 is a 1,030 MWe pressurised water reactor (PWR) commissioned in 1985.
Belgium’s Federal Agency for Nuclear Control (FANC – Federaal Agentschap voor Nucleaire Controle) in July approved the restart of Tihange 3 following a thorough analysis. Tihange 3 was shut down at the beginning of April for extensive maintenance and upgrades with a view to operating for 10 more years. Plant operator Engie has until September 2028, to complete the work.
In May, Belgium’s Chamber of Representatives repealed a 2003 law setting out plans to phase out nuclear power. The law had been amended several times to allow a number of plants to remain open longer. Belgium has seven nuclear power reactors – three at Tihange near Liege and four at Doel near Antwerp. Under the phase-out law, Doel 3 was closed in 2022 and Tihange 2 in 2023. Tihange 1 closed in October this year and Doel 2 will close in December. Doel 4 and Tihange 3 were scheduled to close in November 2025 but the conflict in Ukraine and subsequent sanctions on Russian oil and gas resulted both being allowed to operate for ten more years.
The modernisation of the rod control system, which will extend over several years, includes the complete replacement of control cabinets with Framatome’s widely used Rodline technology, as well as all engineering, on-site installation and maintenance activities. This system plays an essential role in reactor control, ensuring precise power control and automatic failover in case of an unforeseen event.
This project is part of the agreement signed in 2023 between Engie and the Belgian government, aimed at extending the service life of Belgian PWRs. “This new contract reflects Electrabel’s renewed trust in Framatome and our expertise in modernising nuclear facilities,” said Laurent Thieffry, Senior Executive Vice-President I&C Business Unit at Framatome. “This partnership is part of a long-term vision, driven by the commitment and performance of the teams at Electrabel and Framatome.”
