THE CHALLENGES OF STEAM-GENERATOR REPLACEMENT

If the functional reliability of raw materials cannot be guaranteed sustainably through maintenance and repair, and if a nuclear power plant is to be operated for its entire useful life, one possibility offering itself is the replacement of the whole steam generator. Problems may be caused especially by Inconel-600, a material used since 1964. In the Dampierre-1 nuclear generating unit, which is equipped with a pressurized water, reactor, steam generator replacement has been completed successfully. The reactor manufacturer had to use not only his technical know-how, but also introduce operations management systems, as the work had to be carried out in a radioactive environment. The operator and the reactor manufacturer developed software programs for simulating potential radiation exposures and monitoring real ones.