Paks turbine shut down, block to return to full capacity by weekend

The output of the number 1 block of the Paks nuclear power plant is expected to reach nominal capacity again by the weekend, Paksi Atomeromű communications director Antal Kovács has told MTI.

Just before noon on Wednesday, output of the number 1 block was halved after one of its turbines stopped.

This had no impact on nuclear safety,

MVM Paksi Atomeromű said.

Kovács noted that the plant’s number 3 block is undergoing routine maintenance and the other two blocks are functioning normally.

There are four blocks at the plant, each with a nominal capacity of 500MW.

LMP

The opposition LMP party on Thursday demanded an independent investigation into the technical malfunction of the block with the involvement of experts of either the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) or relevant civil groups.

Speaking at a press conference, lawmaker Péter Ungár noted that the same turbine and another one in block 1 had seen technical malfunctions already before, over the past four-year governing cycle. He said the minister in charge of Paks, responding to LMP’s inquiry at the time, cited a technical failure of “a supplementary equipment”.

Ungár said it gave cause for concern that Paks had switched to a 15-month fuel cycle from a 12-month one which “allows for less frequent inspection and maintenance” in the blocks. He added that Paks was testing a new type of fuel whose effects are difficult to know at this early stage.

As we wrote before, the upgrade of the Paks nuclear power plant has a “fixed price” of 12.5 billion euros, János Süli, the minister-elect without portfolio in charge of planning and implementing construction of two more blocks at the plant, said, read more HERE.

Photo: atomeromu.hu

Source: MTI