Loviis NPP

Main article: Economy of Finland

Loviisa NPP is the 1st nuclear power plant in Finland, which by 2022 provides more than 10% of electricity in the country.

Power units

1st power unit put into commercial operation in 1977, the license was renewed in 1998, the current license expires in 2027.

2nd power unit put into commercial operation in 1981, license renewed in 2007. the current license expires in 2030.

In March 2022, Fortum submitted an application to the authorities of the republic to extend the service life of the 1st and 2nd power units VVER-440/213 a nominal electric capacity of 440 MW of the Loviis nuclear power plant until the end of 2050. Permission was obtained, but one of the conditions was to provide a report on fuel purchases in the future.

History

2024

Transfer of second reactor to Westinghouse fuel

The Finnish nuclear power plant (NPP) Loviisa received the first batch of fuel from the American Westinghouse Electric Company. Thus, the dependence of Loviisa NPP, owned by the energy company Fortum, on the Russian fuel supplier has finally been reduced, Helsingin Sanomat reported on September 2, 2024.

The first batch of fuel from an American supplier was loaded into the second reactor of the Loviisa NPP in August during annual maintenance.

Fortum called this an "important milestone," since earlier both VVER-440 reactors at the Loviisa nuclear power plant were completely dependent on nuclear fuel supplied by TVEL, a subsidiary of Rosatom. Contracts for the supply of fuel with fuel elements are valid until 2027 for the first reactor and until 2030 - for the second reactor of the nuclear power plant.

Fuel for the Loviisa nuclear power plant is planned to be produced at the Swedish Westinghouse plant in the future. In 2023, the European Union doubled its purchases of nuclear fuel in Russia, including five countries with Soviet-designed reactors VVER-440 or VVER-1000, including Finland.

Shutdown of the 2nd power unit due to malfunction

In January 2024, a malfunction was detected at the Loviis nuclear power plant (NPP) in southern Finland, capacity was reduced, there is no threat to people and the environment. This was announced by the Finnish energy company Fortum.

Abstracts from the message:

• at the 2nd power unit of the Loviis NPP, a malfunction was detected in the power metering system in the distribution network;
• an investigation into the fault has been launched;
• nuclear plant shut down, fault investigation continues;
• the incident poses no danger to people, the station and the environment.

According to Nordpool, the nuclear power plant began to decline on January 14, 2024 and will recover no later than the evening of January 17.

2023

NPP produced 8.09 TWh of electricity

At the end of 2023:

• The NPP produced a total of 8.09 TWh of electricity;
• Loviisa 1 generated 3.99 TWh of electricity, its load factor was 89.79%;
• Loviisa 2 generated 4.10 TWh of electricity, the load factor was 92.32%.
• total load factor of power units was 91.06%.

On December 19, 2023, the Statistical Office of Finland reported that nuclear energy production in the country increased to a record level in January-September 2023, an increase of 32% compared to 2022.

Continue to search for fuel supplier to replace fuel elements supplies

At the end of 2023, the Finnish energy concern Fortum is looking for another Western fuel supplier for the reactors of the Loviisa NPP, so as not to depend on the supply of Russian TVEL, a subsidiary of Rosatom. The energy concern announced this in a report to the Ministry of Labor and Economy of Finland. The agreement for the supply of fuel with the Russian TVEL is valid until the expiration of the current licenses for the operation of nuclear power plants, until 2027 and 2030.

Previously, Fortum signed a fuel supply agreement with the American Westinghouse Electric Company, but the introduction of a new type of fuel requires time and coordination.

• Fortum signed an agreement with Westinghouse Electric Company to design, license and supply a new type of NF for Loviis Nuclear Power Plant;
• the new type of nuclear fuel is based on British Nuclear Fuel Limited, which was already supplied to the Loviis nuclear power plant in the 1990s. and was used in parallel with the Russian fuel fuel TVEL;
• the introduction of the new NF is a multi-year project requiring regulatory approval. Westinghouse has developed fuel for larger reactors VVER-1000 the Russian Federation, nuclear fuel for VVER-440 for Loviisa has not yet been developed.

"In addition to Westinghouse, Fortum is exploring the possibility of attracting another Western fuel supplier or the possibility of developing a type of fuel suitable for the VVER-440 reactor," the energy company said in a report.

The company intends to hold a tender for the supply for the period "after obtaining current operating permits," the report says.

In the 1990s, Loviisa NPP received fuel from the British company BNFL, which then abandoned the fuel business for VVER-type reactors, after which TVEL remained the only supplier. Earlier, Finnish media noted that TVEL remains the only organization supplying nuclear fuel suitable for this type of reactor.

2022: Fortum strikes deal with Westinghouse Electric to buy nuclear fuel

In November 2022, Fortum entered into a deal with Westinghouse Electric to buy fuel for the Loviis nuclear power plant from 2030. The concern announced the signing of a multi-year contract for the development, licensing and import of a new type of fuel for the power plant as part of an initiative to diversify supplies.

The new fuel is based on British Nuclear Fuel Limited, which was already supplied to the Loviis nuclear power plant in 2021-2027. and was used in parallel with the Russian fuel of the company TVEL (fuel company). Rosatom The introduction of the new fuel is a multi-year project that requires regulatory approval.

At this time, fuel for nuclear power plants is supplied by the Russian company TVEL in accordance with contracts calculated until 2027 and 2030.

1977: Start-up of nuclear power plant with reactor VVER-440

The Loviisa nuclear power plant with the VVER-440 reactor was commissioned in Finland in 1977. In Russia, according to a similar project, the Kola nuclear power plant in the Murmansk region VVER-440/V-213 built.