5 Jan (NucNet): Fortum’s two-unit Loviisa nuclear power station had a record production year in 2017, generating 8.16 TWh (net) of power, which is more than 10% of Finland’s total electricity production.
Fortum said the 92.7% load factor of the Loviisa facility was among the best in the world for pressurised water reactor power plants.
Loviisa-1’s load factor was 92.7% and Loviisa-2’s was 92.6%. Production output at Loviisa-1 was the highest in the station’s history and at Loviisa-2 was the second highest.
Both units underwent a short refuelling annual outage in 2017. Unit 1 was out of production for 21 days and Unit 2 for 17 days.
In addition to normal scheduled maintenance and fuel replacement, high-pressure safety injection pump motors were renewed. A turbine’s high-pressure housing was modernised and two turbine reheaters replaced to increase the power plants’ production and improve efficiency.
Fortum sad its investments in Loviisa in 2017 were approximately €90m ($108m), compared to €100m in 2016. Investments in the coming years will continue to be significant, the company said.
Both Fortum units are 502-MW PWRs supplied by Russia. Unit 1 began commercial operation in May 1977 and Unit 2 in January 1981.
