Maintenance and refurbishment is a fast and cost-efficient way to increase output and deliver improvements in the lifetime extension of a power plant. It also improves the efficiency of the plant, allowing for more power using the same amount of fuel.
“These orders secured with EDF demonstrate EDF’s ongoing confidence in Alstom’s flagship product and unbeatable technology in the field of nuclear,” declared Philippe Joubert, Alstom Power President.“As a world leader in solutions for new and existing nuclear power plants and the world’s most reputed equipment provider, Alstom is able to fully design, engineer and manufacture the entire conventional island for all types of civil reactors.”
Alstom has designed and manufactured all the conventional islands installed in France’s nuclear power plants today, all owned and run by EDF and representing 64% of the country’s installed base or 86% of France’s total energy consumption in 2009. The two companies work closely together on the regular maintenance and upgrades of the equipment. This contract is part of EDF’s strategy to renovate its nuclear fleet and follows the framework agreement signed by Alstom with EDF in 2008 to renovate the generators in EDF’s nuclear power plants.
Alstom has provided the conventional islands to 30 percent of the nuclear power plants presently in operation worldwide.