IAEA: TVO is strongly committed to safety

16.3.2017

According to an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts TVO’s Olkiluoto Nuclear Power Plant has a strong commitment to safety. In its new assessment report, the team also notes that further improvements could be achieved as OL3 and Posiva’s final disposal facility are implemented.

An OSART mission is designed as a review of programmes and activities essential to operational safety at nuclear power plants. OSART missions aim to improve operational safety by objectively assessing safety performance using the IAEA’s Safety Standards and proposing recommendations for improvement where appropriate.

The Operational Safety Review Team (OSART) concluded a 17-day mission today to assess operational safety at TVO’s two 880 MW boiling water reactors OL1 and OL2, which were first connected to the grid in 1978 and 1980. The new pressurized water reactor OL3 and final repository for spent fuel that are being constructed on the site were not part of the review.

The team identified a number of good practices that will be shared with the nuclear industry globally, including e.g. strong capabilities to perform comprehensive safety assessments to estimate risks and use the results to improve plant safety. TVO’s active participation with other Nordic countries to share experiences in nuclear power plant operations as well as extensive support to research institutions on studies related to the management of potential severe accidents were praised.

The team made also a number of recommendations to improve operational safety at the plant. For example, maintenance practices should be enhanced. TVO should also evaluate the effectiveness of the recent organizational changes, and adequate resources and expertise should be ensured to secure the safe and reliable operation of the plant beyond its originally designed lifetime.

The 16-member team comprised experts from Bulgaria, the People’s Republic of China, France, Germany, Hungary, South Africa, Sweden, and the United States of America, as well as four IAEA officials.

- TVO considers international peer reviews as an important element of improving nuclear safety. The results and development areas of this OSART assessment will be taken into account to TVO’s principle of continuous improvement, says Mikko Kosonen, Senior Vice President, Production.

- The exchange of experience between experts in different fields brought is also a great opportunity for TVO to share our good practices and to get similar good practices from other plants.

More information on TVO’s OSART review on IAEA’s website.

For further information, please contact:
Mikko Kosonen, SVP, Production, TVO, Tel. +358 (0)2 8381 2100

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