Oskarshamn 2 simulator approaches commissioning

Monday, 20 April 2015

A new simulator is nearing completion at unit 2 of the Oskarshamn nuclear power plant in Sweden, operator OKG said today. The simulator is part of a safety modernization of the unit started in mid-2013.

The new simulator at Oskarshamn 2 (Image: OKG)

Safety modernization work being carried out at the 638 MWe boiling water reactor is the penultimate stage of a major SEK 8 billion ($920 million) plant life extension (PLEX) program which includes a planned 185 MWe power uprate at the plant. As part of this program, a new control room and simulator have been installed.

Work has now begun on the third and final stage of the simulator's implementation, OKG said. This involves testing the simulator and verifying its systems and coding. This is expected to be completed within the next few months.

The Swedish nuclear regulator requires operating staff to receive training in a work-like simulator. It is the task of Nuclear Safety and Training (Kärnkraftsäkerhet och Utbildning, KSU) to implement this.

KSU's project manager for PLEX education Martin Mansfield said, "The new control room means big changes for staff, changes that require training in a work-like environment, before the skilled work in the real control room can begin. For us to be able to train the staff we need to test the new code, validate the new control room environment and verify the most important steps that have changed or been added, which is about 350 pieces in the current situation."

Oskarshamn 2 is set to return to operation in late December. OKG earlier postponed the power uprate of the unit and now intends to implement it during 2017, two years later than originally planned.

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News