Long-term safety at Dutch plant assessed

Tuesday, 3 December 2024

The 485 MWe (net) pressurised water reactor at Borssele - operated by EPZ - has been in operation since 1973 and accounts for about 3% of the country's total electricity generation. It is scheduled to close in 2033, but the government has requested it remain in operation until 2054, if this can be done safely.

A Safety Aspects of Long-Term Operation (SALTO) peer review is a comprehensive safety review addressing strategy and key elements for the safe long-term operation (LTO) of nuclear power plants. SALTO missions complement IAEA Operational Safety Review Team (OSART) missions which are designed as a review of programmes and activities essential to operational safety. SALTO peer reviews can be carried out at any time during the lifetime of a nuclear power plant, though according to the IAEA the most suitable time lies within the last 10 years of the plant's originally foreseen operating period. SALTO and OSART reviews are carried out at the request of the IAEA Member State in which the review is to take place.

A Pre-SALTO mission reviews ageing management for safe LTO at an early stage of the preparation prior to the complete implementation of the ageing management activities.

The Pre-SALTO review mission was requested by the country's Authority for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection (ANVS). During the ten-day mission, held from 19 to 28 November, the team reviewed the plant's preparedness, organisation and programmes for safe LTO.

The team identified two good practices that will be shared with the nuclear industry globally, including: use of a 360 degree imaging system for enhanced planning of ageing management activities to reduce radiation dose to plant personnel; and use of a portable tablet for field inspectors to conduct ageing management inspections of civil structures and record findings.

The team also provided 15 recommendations and suggestions to further improve safe subsequent LTO, including that: the plant should complete the development and implementation of the ageing management programmes for mechanical and electrical components; the plant should enhance the ageing management of civil structures; and the plant should effectively update and implement the human resources strategy to support LTO.

"The team observed that EPZ is preparing for safe continued long-term operation and the plant staff are cooperative, professional, and open to suggestions for improvement," said team leader and IAEA Senior Nuclear Safety Officer Gabor Petofi. "We encourage the plant to address the review findings and implement the remaining LTO-related activities as planned."

EPZ CEO Carlo Wolters said: "We appreciate the IAEA's support to our plant in ageing management and preparation for safe subsequent LTO. It is very important for us to get an external view of our preparations in an early phase. The competencies and experience of the IAEA team enabled an effective identification of our areas for improvements. The results of this mission will help us to improve our activities for safe subsequent LTO and to further align them with IAEA safety standards."

A draft report has been provided to plant management and ANVS. They have the opportunity to make factual comments on the draft, with the final report to be submitted to them and the Dutch government within three months.