Gösgen-Däniken awards safety system upgrade contract
26 April 2019
Framatome has been awarded a contract by Kernkraftwerk Gösgen-Däniken (KKG) to modernise the reactor protection system at the Gösgen nuclear power plant in Switzerland.
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The Gösgen plant (Image: Alpiq)
A reactor protection system (RPS) is a set of nuclear safety components in a nuclear power plant designed to safely shut down the reactor and prevent the release of radioactive materials. The system can be "tripped" either manually or automatically. Trips occur when the parameters meet or exceed the limit setpoint. A trip of the RPS results in full insertion of all control rods and shutdown of the reactor.
The scope of the contract at Gösgen includes modernisation of the entire RPS using Framatome's TELEPERM XS digital instrumentation and control (I&C) platform. In addition, Framatome said important functions will be realised with a diverse hardwired back-up system.
Installation and commissioning of the new RPS are scheduled to be carried out during the plant's planned 2022 outage.
"This contract marks another important milestone in the long-lasting cooperation between the Gösgen nuclear power plant and Framatome," said Frédéric Lelièvre, Framatome's senior executive vice president in charge of Sales, Regional Platforms and the Instrumentation and Control Business Unit. "It is yet another example showing how, over the years, we have managed the transformation from analog to digital technology successfully together."
The signing of the contract was preceded by the successful modernisation of the plant’s four emergency diesel generators, including the upgrade of the entire I&C and electrical systems with Framatome's digital technology. In 2014, Framatome completed the digital modernisation of the plant's reactor control and limitation.
Gösgen is a 1010 MWe pressurised water reactor that began commercial operation in November 1979. KKG operates the plant on behalf of its five owners: Alpiq AG (40%), Axpo Power AG (25%), the City of Zurich (15%), Centralschweizerische Kraftwerke AG (12.5%) and the Energie Wasser Bern (7.5%). The plant generates about 13% of Switzerland's electricity needs.
Researched and written by World Nuclear News