ENSA ships steam generators to France

The first of the steam generators supplied under the order was delivered to EDF's Gravelines nuclear power plant in March 2019. Maliaño, Cantabria-based ENSA said it had since kept the other two steam generators in storage pending the final decision on the allocation of the plant where they will be installed.

The two components - each weighing 329 tonnes and measuring 21 metres in length and 4.5 metres in diameter - were shipped by ENSA on 10 January. However, their final destination was not disclosed.

Steam generators are used in pressurised water reactors to transfer heat from the reactor coolant into water in a secondary circuit, producing the steam used to power the electricity-generating turbines. Each steam generator contains thousands of kilometres of tubes through which hot water flows.

ENSA, part of the state-owned holding SEPI Group, designs, manufactures and installs heavy components and other major equipment for nuclear power plants, such as reactor vessels and their internal components, steam and pressure generators, as well as for thermal power plants and other facilities. Currently exporting 85% of its production, ENSA has produced more than 100 steam generators for use in nuclear power plants in Belgium, China, France, Germany, India, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and the USA.