Finland: heavy components for OL3 EPR™ arrived on site

The four steam generators(1) and pressurizer(2) that make up a nuclear reactor’s heavy components were delivered to the Olkiluoto 3 nuclear plant in Finland, having left their manufacturing plant in Chalon/St-Marcel (France) in late October.

The components were shipped to the port of Rauma, Finland, where they were unloaded and transported to the OL3 site.

The teams from St-Marcel plant, the world leader in manufacturing nuclear heavy components, demonstrated their ability to meet exacting requirements that drew on their know-how of engineering and hi-tech manufacturing.

Each 500-ton steam generator is 24.15 meters high and 3.8 meters in diameter. The pressurizer weighs in at 150 tons.

As the shipment arrived in Finland, Luc Oursel, CEO of AREVA NP stated: "We can all be proud of having completed this symbolic step, and of the main coolant components ever manufactured for an EPR™ reactor. This first successful production of generation III+ components strengthens our market position and adds to our 35 years of industrial experience."

1) Steam generators transfer heat from the water in the primary system to the water in the secondary system, which is turned into steam that drives a turbine connected to an electricity-generating alternator.

2) The pressurizer keeps the pressure in the primary system at a given value (around 150 bar) to prevent the water from boiling.