Temelín nuclear plant in Czechia uses laser to gently clean reactor shaft for first time

Temelín nuclear power plant has used a laser to clean contaminants for the first time. The light beam was used to clean the upper part of the reactor inspection shaft, where reactor internals are stored during an outage. Mechanical methods such as grinding are usually used for this. Laser cleaning is very gentle on the material’s surface and does not abrade it, Temelín spokesperson Marek Sviták said today. In three days, the laser cleaned an area of 10 square metres, similar to what can be achieved using another method.

„The laser directs a precisely focused, high-energy beam of light at the surface, heating the contaminants without damaging the underlying material. They either evaporate or fall away as dust particles,“ explained Jiří Hajdík, manager of the Nuclear Power Plants Special Processes Department. The laser equipment is operated by two workers wearing coveralls and breathing apparatus. One uses the laser to remove contaminants while the other extracts them.

Until now, energy workers have used mechanical methods, primarily grinding, to clean metal or carbon materials. They will continue to use these methods, but want to deploy lasers, for example, to clean key equipment so that it is subject to as little wear as possible. „We are planning for both of our nuclear power plants to operate for at least 60 years. That is why we are gradually modernising equipment while also introducing new technologies and procedures. Laser cleaning is certainly one of them and is part of the path we will follow in the coming years,“ said Bohdan Zronek, a member of the board of directors of ČEZ and director of its Nuclear Energy Division.

Before putting the technology into operation, energy workers tested it on carbon steel. Specialists then analysed the cleaned samples at an accredited laboratory at the Centre for Advanced Innovation Technologies (CPIT), part of the Technical University of Ostrava.

Laser cleaning replaces the use of chemicals or mechanical methods. It is used, for example, to remove contaminants, surface layers or corrosion products in industry, in the maintenance of historic monuments, and to remove layers of paint, grease or rust.

Energy workers planned to shut down Temelín’s second unit on October 11. During the outage, they plan to complete almost 19,000 tasks, including 74 investment projects. Around 1,000 people, including contractors, will take part in the outage. The first unit was shut down for inspections and refuelling for two months, from early April to early June.

Since the start of the year, Temelín power plant has generated 12.9 terawatt-hours of electricity.