Loviisa decommission plan

Case description

The goal of the decommission plan is to ensure it is always up-to-date. Seeing as the plan consists of many detailed reports and analyses, this means always starting with the report that is most in need of an update, and then continuing with other documents afterward.

The plan encompasses all aspects of the preparation and actual dismantling processes of decommissioning. The latest update focused on three main components dismantling planning, decommissioning cost estimate, and waste management planning. Beyond these categories, there are various other reports and analyses. Regarding the work instructions and reports, Fortum has authored significant design documents related to the most demanding  tasks such as the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) and reactor internals (RPVI) dismantling. Concerning the waste management plan, essential documents include radioactive nuclide activity inventory reports, waste packaging plans, and the final waste disposal plan. Additional radiation dosage estimates and radiation protection plans are also included. All dismantling plans are optimized in accordance with the ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) principle.

The goal of the continuous project is to receive approval from regulatory authorities every six years, ensuring that the plan is in an approvable state on a regular basis. The authorities involved in approving the plan are STUK and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment. The ultimate goal of the project is to ensure that when the time for decommissioning arrives, Fortum will be prepared to execute the plans in a smooth and practical manner.

Our approach

Fortum’s experience and ability to draft high-quality decommission reports and effectively plan NPP decommissions originated from its 40-year ongoing project at Fortum’s own NPP in Loviisa.  Through the lessons learned and experience gained from Loviisa, Fortum has been able to develop a deep understanding of nuclear decommissions and the industry as a whole. Fortum’s nuclear decommissioning expertise is well-known and has been demonstrated in large projects such as the decommissioning of Oskarhamn NPP & Barsebäck NPP, and the FiR1 decommissioning (https://www.fortum.com/services/nuclear/our-references/fir1-decommissioning). These projects are examples of extensive decommissioning efforts with significant repercussions, where Fortum’s nuclear talent pool has had the opportunity to showcase their competence.

Value added

Fortum completed all requested reports to a high standard. The larger context of the project was to uphold the nuclear safety standards and regulations mandated by STUK, concerning reactors at the NPP. Through Fortum’s work, this goal was successfully achieved. The implications of this are quite important for Finland, as securing Loviisa NPP’s continued carbon-free energy generation is vital for the Finnish electricity network.

As stated, communication to authorities has always been important and functions as a key success factor for the entire project. Fortum has always received great response and feedback regarding this aspect of the project, thus making the entire process more effortless

This gained know-how has led to Fortum being able to contribute within the nuclear industry in projects worldwide. Examples of such significant decommissioning projects where Fortum has been able to provide assistance include FiR1 and Oskarhamns & Barsebäck as previously mentioned.

It is also worth noting the synergy between the TVO decommissioning plan and Loviisa's own decommissioning plan. These two plans have been continuously worked on in parallel for a long time. This relationship has been mutually beneficial, as both projects have provided experience, knowledge, mistakes, and lessons to learn from, which Fortum’s experts can implement in the other decommissioning plan.

Lastly, decommissioning cost estimate is a part of the waste management security fund, since all waste management needs to be accounted for in this fund. The work done in this project is highly relevant and plays a large role overall. Detailed and updated estimations are key aspects to have reliable preparation for future actions. This also saves Fortum money since we do not invest unnecessarily large amounts based on inaccurate estimates.