The damage to the feed water pumps of the Olkiluoto 3 nuclear reactor is still being investigated, and the date for the continuation of the plant’s trial operation program is not yet known, the plant’s operating The Power of Industry announced on Monday.
The long and painstakingly built reactor in Eurajoki was put to full power level tests in September, but the test operation was stopped three weeks ago when pump damage was revealed.
According to the previous plan, OL3’s regular electricity production was scheduled to start around next Christmas. The operation of the power plant will have a significant impact on Finland’s electricity supply and the price of electricity in the coming winter.
“Cracks were found in all four feedwater pump impellers of OL3,” says Monday’s press release.
According to TVO, the company that supplied the turbine plant’s feed water pumps is an experienced pump supplier and has supplied pumps to several nuclear power plants.
“In so-called destructive testing, one damaged impeller was split open and the parts sent to several different laboratories for examination. This ensures, among other things, the quality of the material during production and identifies the starting point of the crack, as well as elucidating the mechanism of the damage,” says TVO about its findings.
“The exact geometry of the impeller for the 3D model was determined by laser scanning. The 3D model is used, among other things, in complementary strength and flow analyses. The results of these will be used in the investigation of the causes of the damage.”
In addition, the operating history and operating conditions of the feedwater pumps during the commissioning of the plant have been explained in detail.
TVO promises to inform about the results and effects on the schedule of the power plant immediately after the studies are completed.