"Revolutionary New Nuclear Unit Connected to Grid, Promising Cheap and Clean Energy for Slovakia"

The Mochovce nuclear power plant (Image: Slovenské elektrárne)

After years of construction and careful preparation, the new Unit 3 at the Mochovce Nuclear Power Plant in Slovakia has finally come to life! At 10.57pm on January 31, the unit was successfully connected to the grid for the first time, operating at 20% of its full capacity. This momentous event represents a major milestone not just for the company, Slovenské elektrárne, but also for the entire country. The Unit 3 will play a crucial role in supplying cheap electricity to households and contributing to the country's efforts towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions and becoming carbon neutral.

The journey to this point has been a long and meticulous one. Tests were carried out at increasing levels of power, starting at 5% and gradually increasing to 20%. The steam turbines were brought to life for the first time over the weekend, spinning up to the nominal speed of 3000 revolutions per minute. The generator, block transformer, and the 400 kV line were also put through rigorous tests to ensure everything was working smoothly.

The next phase of the launch will involve testing the unit at power levels from 35% to 100%, with the final step being a 144-hour trial run at its full 471 MWe output. The Unit 3 is expected to supply electricity to the grid over the next few weeks, with short-term shutdowns planned according to the commissioning schedule.

With its numerous upgrades to safety and security, including increased aircraft impact protection and emergency management measures based on lessons from the Fukushima accident, Unit 3 is designed to provide 13% of Slovakia's electricity needs when operating at full capacity. The new block has a planned service life of 60 years, and is the result of decades of hard work and dedication by the nuclear energy workers and the company. The future looks bright for Mochovce, and we can't wait to see what other exciting developments are in store!

Nuclear energy is considered a cheap source of energy for several reasons:

Fuel Efficiency: Nuclear reactors use fuel rods made of enriched uranium, which is abundant and widely available. A single fuel rod can generate a large amount of energy, making nuclear power plants highly fuel efficient.

Low Operating Costs: Once a nuclear power plant is built and running, the operating costs are low due to the long lifespan of fuel rods and low maintenance requirements.

Economies of Scale: Nuclear power plants are designed to generate large amounts of energy, so they benefit from economies of scale. The more energy they generate, the lower the cost per kilowatt hour.

Lack of greenhouse gas emissions: Unlike fossil fuels, nuclear energy does not produce greenhouse gas emissions, which contributes to air pollution and global warming. This not only helps to reduce carbon emissions but also helps to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

High Reliability: Nuclear power plants are highly reliable, with an average availability of over 90% compared to other sources of energy

source :(worldnuclearnews)

#Newbuild #Operation_Maintenance #Slovakia