Nuclear Power Plant Philippsburg: Block 1 reconnected to grid after revision

Karlsruhe. As from today, 03 May 2007, Block 1 of the Nuclear Power Plant in Philippsburg (KKP 1) has been reconnected to the grid after the annual revision. In the past weeks the annual nuclear refuelling was carried out besides the general inspection and maintenance activities. During revision about 1,300 additional employees from manufacturing and specialist firms assisted the revision team of KKP. The entire team executed over 5,600 individual tasks.

Roman Zofka, head of the plant block 1 gives a positive summary: „"The revision went well. We are very satisfied with the implementation of the work plan." The bigger individual projects under the routine works were primarily maintenance and inspection works in the area of the control rod drive, on a forced circulation pump and on one of both low pressure turbines. Moreover works were carried out on two of four cooling water canals and on the internal low voltage grid. The machine transformer was inspected and the transformer protection device toughened.

Like already announced to the regulatory authority and the public, inspection works during revision led to an intact emergency diesel not being able to be automatically started for a short while. Its function would have been guaranteed by other diesels at any time. This was caused by a faulty inspection instruction, which was corrected immediately. The incident had no impact on the security of the plant, the personnel and the surroundings.

The revision works took place under the surveillance of the Ministry of the Environment and was facilitated by experts of TÜV, KeTAG (Kerntechnik-Gutachterarbeitsgemeinschaft Baden-Württemberg) and the MPA (Staatlichen Materialprüfungsanstalt, Stuttgart)by order of the Ministry. After acceptance of the works the Ministry of the Environment approved the restart of the plant.

Block 1 of the Nuclear Power Plant Philippsburg is a boiling water reactor with an electrical output of 926 megawatts. The plant started operation in 1979 and in the year 2006 had produced over seven billion kilowatt hours of electricity.