Steam Generator Replacement and Power Uprating on Tihange 2 Nuclear Plant: Safety Study Analyses

The Tihange2 900 MWe 3-L PWR NPP, operated by the Belgian utility Electrabel, was first commissioned in 1982 with a design core power of 2775 MWth. Following an initial core power uprating by 4,5% in 1995, Electrabel has since replaced the Steam Generators which has allowed a further core power increase by roughly 5% (total 10%) in 2001. For both of each projects, licensing and implementation studies were successfully performed by Tractebel Energy Engineering and Framatome ANP. The demanding new operating conditions required a complete review of the plant design basis for which advanced methods were applied and licensed through a continuous process of discussions with the client and the Belgian Safety Authorities AVN. The licensing process required flexibility in the methods application in order to meet the specific requirements of the S.A., which was achieved within the time schedule and without jeopardising the technical objectives of the utility.