| Mochovce Nuclear Power Plant | |
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Mochovce Nuclear Power Plant from the main road between Nitra and Levice |
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| Country | Slovakia |
| Coordinates | |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | October 1, 1983 |
| Commission date | October 29, 1998 |
| Owner(s) | Slovenské elektrárne a.s. |
| Operator(s) | Electrostation Mochovce |
| Reactor information | |
| Reactors operational | 2 x 470 MW |
| Reactors under construction | 2 x 440 MW |
| Power generation information | |
| Annual generation | 3,145 GW·h |
| Net generation | 54,950 GW·h |
| As of 2010 | |
The Mochovce Nuclear Power Plant (Slovak: Atómové elektrárne Mochovce, abbr. EMO) is a nuclear power plant located between the towns of Nitra and Levice, on the site of the former village of Mochovce. Two up-rated 470 MW (originally 440MW) reactors are presently in operation, with two further reactors of the same type under construction. Generating almost 6,000 GWh of electricity a year, the power plant currently serves approximately 20% of Slovakia's energy needs.[1]
Contents |
A power plant consisting of four Soviet VVER 440/V-213 pressurized water reactors was proposed in the 1970s. The Czechoslovak government began with a geological survey to find a suitable seismically stable site. After taking into account all factors the location of the village of Mochovce was chosen. Preparatory work was started on June 1981, and site construction for Mochovce-1 and Mochovce-2 started in November 1982. The reactors in Mochovce use enriched uranium as their fuel.
Construction of the remaining two units, Mochovce-3 and Mochovce-4, began in 1985 but work on all four units was halted in 1991 due to a lack of funds. In 1995 the Slovak government approved a plan to finish the first pair with additional Western safety technology. The first two units were commissioned in 1998 and 1999 respectively. Commissioning of the plant has sparked protests in Austria, a neighboring country strongly opposed to the use of nuclear energy in general. Installed capacity of units 1 and 2 was up-rated by 7% in 2008. Construction of Units 3 and 4 restarted in November 2008 and is planned to be completed in 2012 and 2013.[2] Owner of the plant is Slovenské elektrárne, a nationally-owned company with a majority financial interest held by Enel, an Italian utility company. [3]
Although the original power plant design featured safety improvements such as seismically resistant attachment of equipment, it did not suit the safety and regulatory environment of the 1990s. To rectify this the German company Siemens supplied a new control system, and Western and EU safety measures were implemented during the final phases of construction. According to the plant operator Mochovce nuclear power plant was the first Soviet-sourced nuclear plant in Eastern Europe to meet the safety standards of Western nuclear power plants.[4]
| Station | Reactor type | Net capacity | Commissioned | Grid date | Exp. shutdown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mochovce 1 | VVER 440/213 | 440 MWe | 4 July 1998 | 29 October 1998 | 2028 |
| Mochovce 2 | VVER 440/213 | 440 MWe | 20 December 1999 | 11 April 2000 | 2030 |
| Mochovce 3 | VVER 440/213 | 440 MWe | under construction | (2012) | - |
| Mochovce 4 | VVER 440/213 | 440 MWe | under construction | (2013) | - |