The Angra 1 nuclear plant will be disconnected from the National Interconnected System (SIN) at midnight next Saturday (13) to carry out refueling. The information was given today (11) by Eletronuclear, the company responsible for the construction and operation of nuclear plants in Brazil. This is a scheduled stop, made in agreement with the National Electric System Operator (ONS) and is expected to last for 45 days.
During this period, about a third of nuclear fuel will be replaced. There will also be periodic inspection and maintenance activities and several design changes, which require the plant to be shut down.
According to Eletronuclear, a total of 4,430 tasks were programmed. The scope was expanded, including activities that were postponed at the last stop, reduced to the minimum necessary due to the coronavirus pandemic, the state-owned company said, through its press office. To carry out the work, national and international companies were hired, totaling 1,260 professionals, 64 of whom are foreigners, who will work together with Eletronuclear’s teams.
highlights
In addition to refueling, maintenance will be carried out on the main and auxiliary transformers; overhaul of turbine control system valves; overhaul of the main supply water valve actuators; review of the seals of one of the reactor’s cooling pumps; and replacement of the motor of another reactor coolant pump.
The visual inspection of the welds of the primary system is also planned; inspection of the internal piping of the essential utility water system; measuring the response time of the reactor protection system; maintenance and diagnosis of motorized valves; and inspections aimed at extending the useful life of Angra 1, among other tasks.
Eletronuclear clarified that, while Angra 1 remains off, the ONS will dispatch energy from other plants in the interconnected system, in order to guarantee a secure supply of electricity to the country. Refueling stops occur, on average, every 14 months and are scheduled at least one year in advance, taking into account the duration of the nuclear fuel and the needs of the SIN.
