Block 1 of the Philippsburg nuclear power station back on the grid after maintenance and repair work
Minimal leak found in a weld seam on the water trap reheat
Karlsruhe. After completion of the planned maintenance and repair work, Block 1 of the Philippsburg nuclear power station (KKP 1) is back on the grid.
During the standstill, leak tests were performed in the turbine system inside the system's machinery room during which a tiny leak in a weld seam on the water trap reheater was identified. This was notified to the supervisory authority as a reportable incident in the lowest category. The incident did not have any impact on safety in the station, on personnel or the environment.
The minimal leak was addressed immediately. The function of the water trap reheater was not impaired. This dries and heats the steam channelled from the high-pressure part to the low pressure part of the turbine. The steam is used to drive the turbine for electricity generation.
The decisive aspect for shutting down the station last weekend was EnBW's attitude towards safety that is mirrored in the principle "safety before profitability".
KKP 1: Block I of the Philippsburg nuclear power station is a pressurised water reactor with an electrical output of 926 megawatts. The facility went into operation in 1979 and produced more than 6.5 billion kilowatt hours of electricity in the year 2010.