Unterweser’s four steam generators rest on cradles at the plant before being shipped off-site. (Photo: PreussenElektra)
All four steam generators at Germany’s Unterweser nuclear power plant have been removed from the reactor building, plant owner PreussenElektra has announced. The single-unit pressurized water reactor was shut down in 2011 as part of Germany’s decision to phase out nuclear energy. Decommissioning and dismantlement of the reactor began soon after PreussenElektra was granted a permit for the work in February 2018.
Work to remove the four 19-meter-long, 300-ton steam generators from the reactor building began in mid-May, with the final unit being lifted from the reactor building on June 11. The steam generators are to be shipped to Sweden to be dismantled and partially melted down.
Watch a time-lapse video of one of the massive steam generators being removed here.
The work: According to PreussenElektra, the process was highly demanding, requiring the steam generators to be turned, tilted, and gradually raised several times before being placed on a cradle outside the reactor. Two years of planning and practice preceded the work to remove the units.
While the removal of the first steam generator took approximately 18 hours, using the experience gained in each lift, workers were able to reduce the time to 11 hours for the removal of the last unit, the company said.
PreussenElektra considers the removal and dismantlement of the generators critical to the timely decommissioning of Unterweser. The company added that preparations are already being implemented to remove the four generators at its Grafenrheinfeld nuclear power plant.
In 2021, PreussenElektra contracted a subsidiary of Electricité de France for the dismantling and disposal of the 16 steam generators from its Unterweser, Grafenrheinfeld, Grohnde, and Brokdorf nuclear power plants.
PreussenElektra, a subsidiary of German utility E.ON, is responsible for the operation and decommissioning of E.ON’s nuclear assets.
