Inaccurate information has appeared in the media following the Finnish Safety Authority (STUK) press release informing of imperfections in the welding of the main coolant lines for the Olkiluoto 3 reactor. The welding in question and the quality control have been carried out by an AREVA’s subcontractor in France where the coolant lines are currently located. Presently, works are proceeding normally on the OL3 site.
These slight imperfections are located on the coolant lines’ surface. They have no impact on their strength properties or safety features. AREVA makes use of all means to provide to STUK the requested information.
Once this matter is resolved, in compliance with quality and safety requirements, the coolant lines will be delivered in Finland.
AREVA is the only industrial company in the world with generation III+ reactors under construction. The Olkiluoto 3 project is the most underway: 3,500 people are currently working for the AREVA/Siemens consortium on-site; two-thirds of the civil works are completed and the main components of the primary circuit have been manufactured.
First of a kind, the OL3 EPR™ reactor provides AREVA additional experience that the group brings to other on-going projects: Flamanville 3 (Manche, France) and Taishan 1 & 2 (China).
Other units have already been ordered or planned, in particular in Penly (Seine-Maritime) and in India.