Outage for several weeks Reactor unit in Beznau cannot be connected to the grid

A reactor unit at the Beznau nuclear power plant could not be restarted as planned after repair work on a cable. The electricity company Axpo assumes that it could take weeks.

A reactor unit at the Beznau nuclear power plant could not be restarted as planned on Saturday following repair work on a cable. The electricity company Axpo assumed that it could take weeks before the affected plant could be restarted.

Results of an inspection of steel samples from the feedwater tanks in the non-nuclear part of the plant made further clarifications necessary, Axpo announced on Saturday. The inspection had been commissioned as part of earlier repair work.

Feedwater tanks to be examined in greater depth

The feedwater tanks will now be examined in depth before the plant is reconnected to the grid, it said. The feedwater tanks are located in the turbine building. They store water before it is fed into the steam generators.

According to Axpo, the safety of the plant is guaranteed. The nuclear supervisory authority Ensi was informed. The second unit was in normal operation.

There are four nuclear power plants in Switzerland: the two Beznau reactors are located in Döttingen AG. There is one reactor each in Leibstadt AG and Däniken SO.

SDA