AREVA launches innovative and cost-effective sourcing system for nuclear power plant spare parts

AREVA has developed an innovative new service for nuclear operators, aimed at saving them time and money when sourcing new and replacement spare parts. The service is called ERVA^TM – short for Equipment, Replacement parts and Validation. It serves in particular to integrate replacement parts no longer needed of plants, which are permanently decommissioned, in other still operating plants.

“As one of the global leaders in nuclear power plant services, serving 95% of the world’s utilities, AREVA continuously develops new products and solutions for existing plants”, said Philippe Samama, Executive Vice President of AREVA’s Installed Base activities. “With ERVA^TM, the group has developed an innovative service solution, which aims to juggle the multiple equipment requirements of the different markets to offer nuclear operators fast and cost-effective access to a vast range of new and replacement parts.”

Benefits of the ERVA^TM system are numerous for plant operators. They will generally be able to source spare parts at below market prices. In cases where spare parts have been replaced by new developments and are no longer available, ERVA^TM also offers the possibility of obtaining the original spare part. In addition to providing equipment, replacement parts and validation, ERVA^TM can support the customer further, with qualification processes or component reengineering.

The first international ERVA^TM order was successfully completed for the Trillo nuclear power plant in Spain. The required spare part was located in a German plant and delivered in record time to the Spanish plant within only a day. The express delivery allowed for the yearly outage works taking place in Trillo at the time to be completed on schedule.

Already well-known to all German nuclear operators, AREVA’s ERVA^TM system is now attracting great interest from operators worldwide, leading to many more enquiries being received.