Beznau Nuclear Power Plant
Type: Pressurised water reactor
Start of commercial operations: 1969/1972
Nominal thermal output of each reactor: 1130 MW
Gross electrical output: 380 MWe
Net electrical output: 365 MWe
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News
“The inspection of the steam generators of the Gösgen and Beznau Nuclear Power Plants will not require a temporary shut-down”
Georg Schwarz, ENSI Deputy Director and head of the NPPs Division, explains the background and context in the following interview.
Beznau and Gösgen nuclear power plants must check their steam generators
The Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI) requires that the Beznau and Gösgen nuclear power plants check the quality and design of the forgings of the steam generators in respect of adherence to the material specifications.
ENSI reviews reactor pressure vessel safety case submitted by Beznau 1
On Monday, Axpo submitted the documents for characterisation and assessment of the findings in the base material of the Beznau 1 reactor pressure vessel. The Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI) will review these and decide whether Beznau 1 nuclear power plant will receive permission to restart.
Swiss nuclear power plants are unaffected by irregularities at the Le Creusot Forge
The Swiss nuclear power plants use forgings for the safety-relevant main components with fully documented manufacturing and material quality certificates. This was confirmed by the operators in response to an enquiry made by the Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI).
ENSI reviews Axpo’s project plan for the safety case of the Beznau 1 reactor pressure vessel
Axpo submitted today a project plan (road map) to ENSI, the Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate, outlining procedures for the characterisation and evaluation of the indications in the base material of the Beznau 1 reactor pressure vessel. ENSI will review this plan in collaboration with a group of international experts.
“Only an ultrasonic examination is capable of providing authoritative information regarding the current condition of the reactor pressure vessel.”
The Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI) requires the Beznau nuclear power plant to provide proof that the reactor pressure vessel is safe. In an interview, Georg Schwarz, the Director of the Division for Nuclear Power Plants and Deputy Director of the ENSI, explains the importance of carrying out an ultrasonic examination.
Beznau 2 can continue operating until the start of the annual overhaul in mid-August
The operator Axpo was able to plausibly demonstrate to the ENSI that even if one were to assume that the reactor pressure vessel of Beznau 2 had similar material defects to those in Beznau 1, the safety operation of the reactor pressure vessel is still sufficiently guaranteed.
More investigations are needed on the reactor pressure vessel of Beznau 1
While carrying out ultrasonic measurements of the reactor pressure vessel of the Beznau 1 nuclear power plant the operator detected flaw indications that require evaluation. It submitted a corresponding report to the Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate ENSI yesterday.
ENSI follows WENRA recommendation on review of reactor pressure vessels
The Swiss nuclear power plants (NPP) Beznau and Gösgen are required to perform standardized safety reviews of the base materials in their reactor pressure vessels to check for possible manufacturing flaws. Through this requirement, the Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate ENSI is implementing a recommendation issued by the Western European Nuclear Regulators Association (WENRA).