1 Sep (NucNet): Construction of the Olkiluoto-3 nuclear reactor in Finland will be completed in mid-2016 with commissioning starting at the same time and commercial operation now scheduled for 2018, putting the reactor about nine years behind its original schedule, Areva said today.
The Areva-Siemens consortium building the 1,600-megawatt EPR delivered the updated schedule to plant owner Teollisuuden Voima Oyj (TVO), saying the main reason for recent delays to the project was approval for the reactor instrumentation & control (I&C) system. “After a four-year period of exchanges with TVO, the I&C architecture was finally approved in April 2014, giving the consortium a key visibility element to schedule the completion of the project,” a statement said.
The updated schedule is based on “key assumptions and commitments” concerning TVO’s cooperation as the owner of the plant, Areva said.
TVO said it would evaluate the revised schedule, but added it was “hard to accept” the 2018 start-up forecast.
“TVO continues to be committed to provide support to the plant supplier and welcomes all viable initiatives to speed up work in order to complete the project as soon and as efficiently as possible,” a statement said.
In February 2013, Areva-Siemens criticised TVO after TVO announced that Olkiluoto-3 start-up might be delayed until 2016. Following TVO’s announcement, Areva-Siemens said it would like to recall the commitment made by the client [TVO] “to take all the measures necessary to contribute to a stable and reliable calendar”.
In October 2008, TVO was told by Areva-Siemens that Olkiluoto-3 would be delayed to 2012 from its initial start-up target of 2009.
Areva said from a financial standpoint, the updated schedule has no impact on its losses on completion of the Olkiluoto-3 contract, which stood at 3.9 billion euros (5.1 billion US dollars) as of 30 June 2014.
TVO, Areva and Siemens are in arbitration proceedings at the International Chamber of Commerce in Stockholm to try to resolve their financial disputes over the reactor.
Areva-Siemens said it would continue to pursue its arbitration claims, which concern responsibility for the delays to the project. The consortium said it aims is to obtain compensation for the losses incurred.
