Nuclear Power Plant Temelín Turns Ten

NPP Temelín celebrates its 10th Anniversary in 2010, the same year when the first NPP on the Czech territory, NPP Dukovany, turns 25 (see also our relevant article).

The investment project was issued in February 1979, a contract for the Russian (former Soviet) technical ETEdesign (covering nuclear part of the Temelín plant – "nuclear island") was concluded in 1982 and its designer general, Energoprojekt Praha, elaborated the initial design of the plant for the first two units in 1985. Building permit was issued in November 1986 and the construction commenced in 1987.

Originally, four units with reactors of WWER 1000/320 type - i.e. (light) Water Cooled (light) Water Moderated Energy Reactors with electric output of 1000 MWe which use slightly enriched uranium - were planned at Temelín site, which would have meant a new capacity of 4000 MWe.

However, after political changes in November 1989 ("Velvet Revolution") energy needs of the country were reassessed and the Government decided to limit the plan to two new units only (Unit 1 and Unit 2). At the same time, also the design itself was reconsidered. In order to increase the safety and reliability of the NPP to the level of "Western standards", a number of project modifications was introduced; mainly replacement of I&C system, nuclear fuel (both newly supplied by the US Westinghouse Company; WEC) and cabling (newly inflammable and fire resistant cables). Also a new system of personnel training including a full scope simulator was introduced together with new kinds of safety analyses.
ETE
Fuel was loaded to Unit 1 in July 2000, first criticality was reached on 11 October at 06:19 a.m. and the unit produced "its" first electricity on 21 December 2000. Fuel loading to Unit 2 was completed in March 2002, the unit became critical for the first time in May 2002 and both units have been in commercial operation since 11 October 2004.

In 2010, US fuel (WEC) was replaced at Unit 1 with fuel manufactured in the Russian Federation. Unit 2 will follow next year.

On 9 September 2010, a newly constructed spent fuel storage at Temelín was put into trial operation (see also our article).

The ongoing Environmental Impact Assessment regarding construction of two new units (Unit 3 and Unit 4) at Temelín site should be completed in 2011.