Sheffield manufacturer gets world’s oldest nuclear power plant to start after two-year hiatus
A Sheffield-based manufacturer of components for civil nuclear power has completed manufacturing, research and consultancy work to allow the world’s oldest working nuclear reactor to restart.
Sheffield Forgemasters International Ltd (SFIL) was contracted by plant operator, AXPO, to investigate the origin of ultrasonic indications which were detected at Beznau nuclear power plant in Switzerland, which was taken offline for two years until confirmed to be safe by the Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate.
Forgemasters manufactured a large cylindrical forging, using techniques employed in the original 1960s manufacture and also acted as engineering and metallurgical consultants.
Professor Talamantes-Silva added: “There are few companies in the world with our capacity to deliver this kind of civil nuclear materials consultancy, which is crucially relevant to the inaccessible RPVs of older power plants and offers the chance to identify manufacturing and age issues before they become critical.
“This project has enabled the Beznau reactor to restart after a very costly two-year hiatus and ensures that the operational requirements of the power plant are met for the future of the reactor’s life.”
The Beznau nuclear power plant has produced energy since September 1969 and is the world’s oldest nuclear power plant still in commercial operation.
Sheffield Forgemasters is a global supplier of components for civil nuclear power and specialises in the casting and forging of ultra-large components required in the heart of a nuclear power plant.
