Two new steam generators have been delivered to Electrabel's Doel nuclear power plant near Antwerp, Belgium. They were made by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) at its Kobe shipyard.
.jpg "Doel 1 RSG (MHI)") |
| One of two new steam generators for Doel 1 (Image: MHI) |
MHI received the order in February 2006 for the supply of the replacement steam generators for Doel 1. The parts - measuring 20 meters in height and weighing some 270 tonnes - consist of pressure-resistant containers made of low-alloy steel (containing manganese, molybdenum and nickel) surrounding a bundle of 4800 heat transfer tubes manufactured from a thermally treated nickel-chromium-iron alloy.
The steam generators at most of Belgium's nuclear power plants are being replaced progressively. With the delivery of these two, MHI has now supplied ten out of a total 19 steam generators at Belgium's seven power reactors. The company delivered three to units 1 and 2 of the Tihange plant, in 1995 and 2001 respectively, and two to unit 2 of the Doel plant in 2004. The replacement of the steam generators at Tihange 2 added 48 MWe to the unit's capacity.
Doel 1 - a 392.5 MWe PWR which began operating in 1974 - is licensed to operate until 2014 and Electrabel - now part of GdF Suez - recently began preparing the safety case for extending the operating lives of Doel 1 and 2 and Tihange 1 by ten years.
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