Areva contracted to complete Angra 3
A €1.25 billion ($1.67 billion) contract has been awarded to Areva for the supply of engineering services and components for the Angra 3 reactor under construction in Brazil.A €1.25 billion ($1.67 billion) contract has been awarded to Areva for the supply of engineering services and components for the Angra 3 reactor under construction in Brazil.
.jpg "Angra 3 construction 460 (Eletronuclear)") |
| The Angra 3 unit under construction in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro state (Image: Eletronuclear) |
Under the contract, awarded by Brazilian nuclear utility Eletronuclear, Areva will provide engineering services - particularly in the area of electromechanics - and supply primary cooling loop components. It will also supply the digital instrumentation and control (I&C) system for the 1405 MWe pressurized water reactor (PWR). Areva will also provide support in the supervision of installation work and during commissioning tests.
Areva president and CEO Luc Oursel commented, "Areva is proud to have been selected to complete the construction of the third Brazilian nuclear reactor and to continue its collaboration with Eletronuclear that began with the construction and the supply of reactor services to the Angra 2 reactor."
He added, "The completion of Angra 3 confirms Brazil's engagement in an ambitious nuclear program and illustrates the relevance of this energy source as a solution for sustainable economic development."
Two Brazilian consortia are bidding for installation contracts. One is for electro-mechanical assembly associated with the reactor's primary system, valued at around BRL 1.31 billion ($562 million) and expected to be awarded at the end of 2013, and the other for secondary-side work, estimated at BRL 1.67 billion ($716 million).
The Angra 3 project has a long history. Construction originally started in 1984 on a PWR designed by German company KWU, however this faltered two years later. At that stage some 70% of the plant's equipment was said to have already been purchased and delivered to the site. A return to construction was approved in 2007, and an industrial agreement for the unit's completion was signed with Areva in December 2008.
So far about half of civil works have been carried out on the unit. The completion date is now uncertain, but earlier statements had slated this for 2015.
Researched and written
by World Nuclear News
