Ringhals 4 contracts awarded

Monday, 22 January 2007 France's nuclear giant Areva has won a contract to replace three steam generators and the pressuriser of the Ringhals 4 pressurised water reactor (PWR) in Sweden.

The work is crucial to the life extension of the plant, which was built between 1974 and 1982. The Areva contract also covers studies on this life extension, and  a power uprate that could be carried out at the same time. The contract award follows Areva's involvement in the replacement of steam generators at Ringhals 2 and 3 in 1989 and 1995 respectively.

Swedish firm Uddcomb Engineering would be in charge of local integration during the engineering and installation phases of the project. Areva acquired Uddcomb in 2005.

The Ringhals site, 60km south of Göteborg on the Värö Peninsula, is host to three PWRs (units 2, 3 and 4) and one boiling water reactor (BWR). All were constructed between 1969 and 1985. Together with the shutdown Barsebaeck plant, Ringhals is owned by Ringhals AB, which in turn is owned by Vattenfall (70.4%) and Eon (29.6%).

Uprated Ringhals 3 ready to operate

Ringhals AB is planning to trial the Ringhals 3 reactor at the higher power output of 1040 MWe compared with its original 960 MWe later this month. The uprate project involved the replacement of steam generators and a steam turbine retrofit. In June 2006, Ringhals AB was told by the Swedish Nuclear Safety Inspectorate that is had not supplied enough information on the safety of the unit a the higher rating. The company subsequently provided more documentation and is now awaiting a decision from management to commence the trial.

Further information

Areva
Ringhals
SKI