Power plant supplier Doosan Škoda Power has completed the moderinisation of the turbine set at the Mochovce nuclear power plant in Slovakia.

The upgrade occurred during a scheduled shutdown and has helped raise the gross power output of both unit one and two to 500MW.

Each power unit is composed of two turbine sets, which are made up of one high-pressure part and two low-pressure parts. Doosan Škoda Power’s engineers from Pilsen replaced the entire high-pressure part with a new part, replaced the flow path of both low-pressure parts, upgraded the hydraulic regulation and turbine control system and repaired the turbine valves and flaps.

Martin Mráz, director of the Mochovce power plant from Slovenské elektrárne, a.s., said in a statement: “The modernisation of the turbines represents a step forward increasing the reliability, extending the lifetime and the efficiency of the Mochovce power plant’s production. It brings up benefits, such as extra 450GWh per year, without increasing fuel and personnel costs and, in the upcoming years, reducing maintenance costs.”

Slovenské elektrárne marked an important milestone for unit three of the Mochovce in October this year when it reached the minimum controlled output. A controlled fission chain reaction is already taking place in the reactor of the third unit, even though the power of the reactor is very close to zero.

After passing the necessary tests, the third block will switch from physical to energy launch. The power of the reactor will be gradually increased and at 20% the power plant will be phased into Slovakia’s electricity system for the first time.

Slovenské elektrárne, a.s. is the main electricity producer in Slovakia, supplying more than 17 million MWh per year to the grid and producing more than two thirds of the total electricity production in Slovakia. Besides the Mochovce NPP, it also operates the Bohunice NPP and over 30 hydro, photovoltaic or thermal power plants in Slovakia.