Beznau nuclear power plant: Block 1 back on the grid after emergency shutdown
The fault in the non-nuclear part of the reactor, which led to a rapid shutdown, has been rectified.
(Image: Axpo)
Block 1 of the Swiss nuclear power plant Beznau is back on the grid. The fault in the conventional part of the reactor, which led to an automatic emergency shutdown on Monday, has been rectified, the operator Axpo announced. The specialists at the nuclear power plant have identified a fault in a valve and rectified it. The company is not providing more detailed information.
The emergency shutdown occurred on Monday at 14:10 due to a malfunction in the level control in one of two steam generators, it was initially reported. Unit 1 had been disconnected from the grid and was in a safe condition. Due to the rapid shutdown, steam was visible above the non-nuclear part of the plant at times.
In operation since 1969
Block 1 in Beznau underwent an annual inspection for seven weeks last spring. This mainly involved the core internals, the lower feed-throughs of the reactor pressure vessel and one of the two high-pressure turbines. The emergency diesel generator of the emergency power system was also replaced with an overhauled replacement unit.
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The first unit of the nuclear power plant has been in commercial operation since 1969. The nuclear power plant has no cooling tower; the water required for cooling is taken from the River Aare, which flows past the plant. In June of this year , the Swiss Federal Office of Energy relaxed the temperature rules for the discharge of cooling water. This was met with criticism from environmentalists.
In addition to the Beznau nuclear power plant, Axpo also operates the other active sites in Leibstadt and Gösgen in Switzerland. The Mühleberg nuclear power plant was shut down in 2019 after 47 years of operation and is being decommissioned by the operator BKW Energie. In 2017, the Swiss people voted not to build any more new nuclear power plants. From 2029, a decision will be made on whether Beznau I and II should be taken off the grid from 2032. In March of this year, the Swiss Council of States questioned the ban on the construction of new nuclear power plants.
(anw)
