Framatome ANP has completed the upgrade of safety I&C equipment at Switzerland’s Westinghouse-built Beznau plant.
Following successful implementation of TELEPERM XS digital safety I&C in Beznau 2, this 380MWe two-loop PWR unit has resumed commercial operation. Framatome ANP previously had upgraded the I&C at Beznau 1, which has the same design. The contract awarded by the operating company, Nordostschweizerische Kernkraftwerke (NOK), in 1998 was executed in the course of the scheduled refuelling outages in 2000 and 2001.
Backfitting with TELEPERM XS in Beznau is an essential prerequisite to assure safe and reliable operation of the two units for a further 20 to 30 years. Replacement of the existing I&C system was necessary to ensure system maintainability and availability of spare parts over this extended operating period while improving equipment testability. In conjunction with the backfit, Framatome ANP implemented additional enhancements including improved fault diagnostics, stricter physical separation of redundant trains and improved functionality for closed-loop controls to optimise plant operation.
