Fortum's Loviisa NPP generated 8.33TWh of electricity in 2016, accounting for some 13% of Finland's total electricity production last year.

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Fortum's Loviisa NPP generated 8.33TWh of electricity in 2016, accounting for some 13% of Finland's total electricity production last year. The load factor for unit 1 was 88.6% and for unit 2 93.5%, the utility said on 3 January.

On an international scale, the overall 91.1% load factor for Loviisa was among the best in the world for pressurised water reactor power plants.  Loviisa 2’s production output was the second highest in the history of the plant. This year unit 1 underwent the extensive inspection outage performed every four years (38 days), and unit 2 the short annual outage (21 days).

“In addition to the normal scheduled maintenance and fuel replacement, two turbine high-pressure housings were renewed, main transformers and generator breakers replaced as well as work related to the steam generators at both units performed. "The power plant efficiency increased and the electricity generation capacity increased by 12MW thanks to the turbine refurbishment," said Loviisa plant deputy director Thomas Buddas. Fortum said it invested some €100m ($104m) in the plant last year.

Finnish utility Teollisuuden Voima Oyj said its Olkiluoto NPP generated 14.35TWh of electricity in 2016, with units 1 and 2 producing 7.05TWh and 7.30TWh, respectively. TVO said on 2 January that the load factors of the two units was 91.4% and 94.6%. Mikko Kosonen, senior vice president for production, said, "Apart from a few production disruptions, the plant units operated well."

Photo: Loviisa nuclear plant