London — Regular production at TVO's 1.6 GW Olkiluoto-3 nuclear reactor in Finland is due to start in March 2021, six months behind schedule, the operator said Thursday.
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The latest delays were due to slow system testing and spare part deficiencies, it said.
According to the latest project schedule from plant supplier Areva-Siemens, fuel is to be loaded into the EPR unit in June 2020 with grid connection in November 2020 and regular electricity production in March 2021.
First fuel loading involves moving 241 fuel assemblies from storage into the reactor pressure vessel. The process has been practiced several times using a test assembly, TVO said in September.
The plant is to generate between 1 TWh and 3 TWh of variable power "during the time it begins to connect to the grid and ends with the commencement of regular power generation," TVO said.
--Henry Edwardes-Evans, henry.edwardes-evans@spglobal.com
--Edited by Alisdair Bowles, alisdair.bowles@spglobal.com