The fuel loading of the OL3 plant unit started
The fuel loading of the Olkiluoto 3 EPR plant unit, which is to last approximately a week, started today on Saturday, March 27, 2021.
During the months following the fuel loading, maintenance and finalization work will be continued, and tests will be performed. The most important test is the hot functional test, in which the reactor and turbine island is tested for use. During testing, dozens of separate tests are performed with different pressure and temperature levels. The previous hot functional test was completed in 2018.
As communicated previously, the electricity production of OL3 starts in October this year, and regular electricity production starts in February 2022. According to the commissioning program, the plant unit will produce 1-3 terawatt hours of electricity with alternating power output during the time which begins with the connection to the grid and ends with the start of regular electricity production. OL3 is to produce approximately 14 percent of Finland's demand for electricity.
The publishing of OL3's power output on the website www.tvo.fi/ol3forecast starts today. Publishing the power output will continue on the website until the start of OL3's regular electricity production. A market message will be published in NordPool also in the future regarding any significant changes.
Areva continues to prepare a financial solution for the completion of the project until the end of the guarantee period. TVO continues negotiations with the Areva-Siemens consortium about the terms of the project completion.
The OL3 EPR plant supplier consortium is building the plant unit according to a fixed-price turnkey contract. The companies belonging to the plant supplier consortium, AREVA GmbH, AREVA NP SAS, and Siemens AG, have joint and several liability for the contractual obligations stipulated in the plant contract until the end of the guarantee period of the plant unit. In the Global Settlement Agreement in 2018, the companies belonging to the OL3 EPR plant supplier consortium committed to ensuring that the funds required for the completion of the OL3 EPR project are sufficient and also cover all guarantee periods. Concurrently, a trust mechanism funded by Areva companies was set up in order to cover Areva's expenses for the completion of the OL3 EPR project.
Interview requests:
Pasi Tuohimaa, Communications Manager, tel. +358 40 544 5001
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