Temelín in Czechia to replace 25 kilometres of water pipes as it prepares for extended operation

Temelín Nuclear Power Plant has begun modernising its water networks across the entire site. The overhaul covers 25 kilometres of pipes carrying fire-fighting and drinking water. The aim is to prepare the networks for long-term operation, which is set to be extended to 80 years, until 2080 and 2082. The first phase, which is the most technically challenging, will run until 2029. The full replacement is due to be completed in the mid-2030s, plant spokesperson Marek Sviták told reporters today.

Steel pipes dating back to the plant’s construction are being replaced with durable, long-lasting polyethylene. The work will not affect the plant’s safety or operation. “Renewing the water networks is one of the investments associated with Temelín’s long-term operation. We are proceeding systematically, starting with the most important technological facilities, while ensuring that equipment safety is never compromised,” said Bohdan Zronek, director of ČEZ’s nuclear energy division.

The work began near the main generating units. Construction workers have already completed a section approximately 800 metres long leading to one of the auxiliary buildings. Every 100 metres of new pipe is pressure-tested. In addition to the pipes themselves, the power company will replace 100 shut-off valves.

The first phase is challenging in terms of safety and coordination, as pipes around the units lie up to seven metres underground in some places. “At these depths, worker safety is crucial, so in many sections we have had to install special safety scaffolding and reinforce the excavations. Work is carried out year-round, but modifications to the fire-fighting system for transformer fires, for example, can only be made during scheduled unit outages,” explained Petr Měšťan, director of Temelín Nuclear Power Plant.

The modernisation of the water networks is part of the long-term operating strategy for Czech nuclear power plants, which envisages extending their operation by 20 years, to a total of 80 years. Longer operation will require further substantial investment in modernisation at the plants, amounting to five to six billion a year at each one.