Finland’s Teollisuuden Voima Oyj (TVO) has begun simulator training of operating personnel for the EPR pressurised water reactor under construction at unit 3 of the Olkiluoto NPP (OL-3).
Simulator training is the last phase of preparation for the operating staff before they acquire their operating licences from the regulator, TVO noted. The simulator is specific to OL-3, using an exact copy of the plant’s instrumentation and control system software, which is unique to the unit.
TVO said operators must acquire their operating licences as a prerequisite for OL-3 being able to begin fuel loading scheduled for spring 2018.
There are currently 2300 people working at OL-3. An Areva-Siemens consortium is building the 1600MWe EPR for TVO, which is now more than nine years behind schedule.
