Issue No.9 Summer
(July 2005)

C O N T E N T S

ENS News
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ENS President's Contribution

Tapping Unusual Quarters

ENS Events
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ETRAP 2005

ENC 2005

PIME 2006

RRFM 2006

Topnux 2006

Member Societies & Corporate Members
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News from Germany

News from Romania

News from Czech Republic

YGN Report
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Forum 2005

Jan Runermark Award

European Institutions
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COWAM2

FORATOM on Baltic sea Region

ENS World News
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Japan: green light for Monju

NucNet News

Greenpeace Co-Founder


JOB-VACANCY
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Karlsruhe Research Center invites applications
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ENS Members
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Links to ENS Member Societies

Links to ENS Corporate Members

Editorial staff
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ETRAP 2005

ETRAP 2005
23-25 November 2005 in Brussels

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RRFM 2006RRFM 2006

RRFM 2006
30 April - 3 May 2006 in Sofia, Bulgaria

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2005 ANNIVERSARY
20 YEARS OF DUKOVANY NPP IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC

Attachment to Press Release, information material

Twenty years ago Unit 1 of Dukovany NPP achieved 100% of rated power

This year the Czech nuclear industry celebrates the twenty years of the day when the first of the four Dukovany’s nuclear reactors was put into operation. The Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) has been operated successfully since its commissioning, as we can infer from the various national and international assessment studies. In this period of anniversary, we ought to remember a few significant dates.

Activity

Date

Start of reactor (first criticality)

12th February 1985

Connection of turbogenerátor 1 to electric grid

24th February 1985

Connection of turbogenerátor 2 to electric grid

25th February 1985

100 % power

26th March 1985

Start of Unit1 test operation

3rd May 1985

Start of Unit1 commercial operation

3rd November 1985

In the first year of operation, Dukovany NPP’s Unit 1 produced 2.4 billion KWh (TWh) and reached already 59.7 billion KWh (TWh)by the end of 2004. Such amount of electricity would be sufficient to supply all Czech households at their 2004 consumption level for over 50 months.

In 2004 the Czech Republic’s total electricity generation amounted to 84.3 billion KWh (TWh) and the share of Dukovany NPP’s four Units was 16.2%. Together with the second nuclear power plant of the country, Temelín NPP, the nuclear share in total electricity production in the CR was 31.2%

About Dukovany NPP

History
The history of the Dukovany NPP dates back to 1970 when the former Czechoslovakia and USSR signed an intergovernmental agreement on the construction of two 1760 MW-nuclear power plants: one at Jaslovské Bohunice in Slovakia and the second at Dukovany in South Moravia. The Dukovany site was chosen because of the nearby pumping hydro power plant in Dalesice with the balancing reservoir Mohelno, both located on the Jihlava River. The hydro system serves as a reservoir of cooling water for the nuclear power plant.

Construction started in spring 1974
The construction of the NPP started in April 1974 but works were suspended between 1976 and 1978. During this period, the design was modified to fit the updated model of the VVER 440 –V213. It was a very successful model of PWR reactors based on previous Russian operating experience. The construction resumed in late July 1978. The Czech national companies played a dominant role in the construction of the NPP, and the manufacture and montage of the equipment. 85% of all equipment was made in the Czechoslovakia incl. reactors, steam-generators, turbines, etc. Companies such as Skoda, Vitkovice and Kralovopolska were the main suppliers.

In full capacity in 1997
The pressure vessel was fitted in the structure of Unit 1 in November 1982 and the first criticality was achieved in February 1985. Full power was achieved one month later. Next three Units were subsequently commissioned in 1986 and 1987. Dukovany NPP reached its full power of 1760 MW in July 1987. From the beginning of its operation in 1985 to the end of 2004 the nuclear power plant produced more than 238 billion KWh of electricity.

Nowadays
Over the whole period of its existence the Dukovany nuclear power plant has featured high reliability, low rate of failures and high safety. The major asset of the NPP is its contribution to fighting climate change. It saves 17 million tons of CO2 a year that would be otherwise released into the atmosphere by burning 11 million tons of coal in thermal power plants.

Nuclear is the cheapest power source
Nuclear reactors are operated at full power in the long term for technical and economic reasons. Refuelling is performed once a year and during this process approximately one fifth of the fuel in the reactor is replaced. Since 1985 Dukovany NPP has changed its fuel cycle from a 3-year cycle to a 5-year cycle and such a change has reduced the volume of spent nuclear fuel by 5.3 tons per Unit and per year. Such a modification has a significant economic impact, resulting in cutting down fuel and storage costs. By the end of 2004, Dukovany NPP had already saved more than 6 billion CZK.

The advanced nuclear fuel with a 5-year cycle was used at Dukovany NPP for the first time in 2003 in Unit 2 and later on in Units 1 and 4. This year, during the refuelling of Unit 3, a completely new type of fuel is used for the first time. This new fuel is characterised by reduction of Uranium 235 enrichment from 4.38% to 4.25% while maintaining the same fuel assembly performance. Full transition of all four Dukovany Units to the 5-year cycle will be accomplished by 2008. The Russian company TVEL from Elektrostal factory (near Moscow) is a fuel supplier for Dukovany NPP and the contract for the advanced fuel is valid until 2011.

Nuclear Safety
Nuclear safety is a basic requirement of the Dukovany NPP operation. It consists of a set of technical and organisational requirements, aiming to ensure that the nuclear fission process and corresponding release of radioactivity remain under control whatever the conditions. Apart from nuclear safety, the power plant staff closely supervises radiation safety. Radiation protection of human beings and of the environment is ensured by protecting them against consequences of ionising radiation and contact with radioactive substances.

Trained and highly qualified personnel
The outstanding operation of Dukovany NPP is not only a result of designers, builders and manufacturers’ efforts. A highly trained and qualified operation personnel is working at Dukovany NPP. Every employee has to successfully go through health examinations and regularly repeated psychological tests. Provided that he/she fulfils all general qualification requirements, he/she is trained in the Training Centre for the job. The most specific training is provided for the licensed operators in main control rooms whose expertise is examined every two years by a state examination committee of top experts in the nuclear sphere. All in all 17% of workers have trade and craft qualification, 49% high school qualification and 33% university education.

Among the best performers
According to expert assessments, Dukovany NPP belongs to the best performers among nuclear power plants worldwide. With regard to a number of parameters and indicators, Dukovany NPP is above the European average. Nuclear operators worldwide use performance indicators of WANO (World Association of Nuclear Operators), based on which Dukovany Units are in the first 20% of all reactors.

Public acceptance
The population living near the nuclear power plant is in favour of nuclear power. According to an opinion poll, about 90 % of the inhabitants living in a zone of 20 kilometres around the plant back the operation of the nuclear power plant.

Future
As it was proved, the equipment of Dukovany NPP is capable of being operated much longer than 30 years than initially designed. Lifetime analysis and the aging of equipment showed that the lifetime of the vital parts, particularly reactor vessels are from 70 to 140 years (on different Units). Other equipment is in a similar shape. That is why the CEZ management decided to extend the lifetime of Dukovany NPP to forty years, i.e. to 2025, at least. Based on this decision a Harmonisation Programme has been developed which sets up a number of particular projects (80) incl. equipment, licensing, documentation, PR, personnel, competitiveness and management.

Performance Indicators (source WANO)

EDU = Dukovany NPP, ETE = Temelín NPP

Capacity Factor

Capability Factor

Unplanned Capacity Loss Factor

Unplanned Capability Loss Factor

Unplanned Automatic Scrams per 7,000 Hours Critical

Dukovany NPP has had no scrams for more than four years at any of the four Units

Unplanned Automatic Scrams per 7,000 Hours Critical

Collective Radiation Exposure,
Man-Sieverts per unit

Dukovany NPP is Among Absolute Best NPPs Worlwide

Collective Radiation Exposure

Dukovany NPP - Basic Data

Significant Dates of Dukovany NPP Units

Stage / Unit

1.

2.

3.

4.

Positioning of RPV

26.12.1982
22.4.1983
27.2.1985
20.12.1985

First hydro-testing

25.11.1983
6.4.1984
12.3.1986
2.9.1986

Minimum
controllable power

12.2.1985
23.1.1986
28.10.1986
1.6.1987

First connection to the grid

24.2.1985
30.1.1986
14.11.1986
11.6.1987

100% Power

26.3.1985
21.2.1986
7.12.1986
3.7.1987

Test operation

3.5.1985
20.3.1986
20.12.1986
19.7.1987

Commercial operation

3.11.1985
21.9.1986
20.6.1987
19.1.1988

Dukovany NPP - Technical Parameters of Units

Total installed capacity

1760 MWe

Thermal efficiency

32 %

Total efficiency

29,2 %

PRIMARY CIRCUIT

Type of reactor

PWR

Number of reactors

4

Fuel

Slightly enriched Uranium U 235

Mass of fuel

42 000 kg

moderator

Water with boric acid

Number of controlled rods

37

Number of fuel assemblies

312

Steamgenerator type

Horizontal, cylindrical

Number of SG per Unit

6

Pressuriser type

cylindrical, vertical

Number of pressurisers per Unit

1

SECONDARY CIRCUIT

Turbine type

3 parts, impulse, condensing turbine

Turbine power

220 MWe

Rotation speed

3000 rpm

Number of TGs per Unit

2

Generator

Double-current g., synchronous atlernator

Number of Generators per Unit

2

Production History of Dukovany Units (GWh)
1985 - 2004

 

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

Unit 1

2397

2853

2768

2715

3156

Unit 2

 

2988

2855

2956

3216

Unit 3

 

308

3325

3193

2864

Unit 4

 

 

1753

2952

3182

Total in year

2397

6149

10701

11816

12418

Total (GWh)

2397

8546

19247

31063

43481


 

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994


Unit 1

3180
2742
3173
3240
3279

Unit 2

3021
3098
2831
3257
3094

Unit 3

3187
3196
2918
3190
3344

Unit 4

3197
3096
3328
2940
3260

Total in year

12585
12132
12250
12627
12977

Total (GWh)

56066
68198
80448
93075
106052

 

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

Unit 1

2966
3353
3296
3176
3092

Unit 2

3263
3019
3145
3423
3411

Unit 3

2690
3066
2905
3298
3464

Unit 4

3311
3412
3149
3281
3390

Total in year

12230
12850
12494
13178
13357

Total(GWh)

118282
131132
143626
156804
170161

 

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

Unit 1

3553
3557
3492
3240
3241

Unit 2

3161
3341
3378
3474
3297

Unit 3

3413
3214
3487
3506
3530

Unit 4

3461
3482
2941
3535
3565

Total in year

13588
13593
13299
13755
13632

Total(GWh)

183748
197324
210623
224396
238028

 

 
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