New emergency aggregates increase the safety in Olkiluoto
New diesel aggregates have been acquired to Olkiluoto to secure the power plant's electricity supply. The acquisition is part of Teollisuuden Voima's preparedness for severe accidents, where access to electricity may be lost. Installations enabling the use of the new aggregates at the site will be completed by the end of the year.
Four aggregates in total were acquired and they were delivered by AGCO Power Oy from Tampere, Finland. Previously TVO had two aggregates available, one for each operating plant unit, OL1 and OL2. The capacity of the new aggregates (60 kVA/48 kW) is two times higher than of the ones previously acquired.
Emergency aggregates are part of Severe Accident Management System
After the acquisition, TVO has six movable, diesel-driven emergency aggregates in Olkiluoto.
- The aggregates will be stored in Olkiluoto safe from exceptional natural phenomena, such as earthquakes and floods, where they can be quickly moved to wherever they are needed. The most important use of the aggregates is in the operating plant units, where they would be used in a serious accident where the electrical power supply were lost, and also the most important back-up power sources, the diesel generators, had stopped working, Seppo Härmälä, TVO's Chief Engineer, Electrical Engineering says.
Several uses
The aggregates can be used also elsewhere at the Olkiluoto site. For example, the emergency organization's support facilities, Olkiluoto's weather mast, and air-raid shelters will be equipped for the use of the aggregates. The aggregates can already be used, without further connection changes, in the chemical laboratory measuring devices and the rescue hoist of Posiva's underground rock characterization facility for the final disposal of spent nuclear fuel, ONKALO.
Aggregate testing in Olkiluoto. From left to right: Marko Koivunen, Antero Hietikko and Teemu Koskinen.
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