Technology Assessment

In 2006, three power companies from the Baltic States: Lietuvos Energija AB, Latvenergo AS and Eesti Energija AS conducted a Feasibility Study of the New Nuclear Power Plant in Lithuania, where, in addition to other issues, the construction conditions for a suitable reactor were analysed. During the analysis, the Technical and Environmental Working Group, responsible for assessing the best available technology for the new nuclear plant, assessing the reactor’s potential capacity and estimating the potential investment and operational costs, performed a preliminary but wide-ranging assessment of the reactors presently available on the market. The findings from their market analysis, presented in the Feasibility Study Report, illustrated that all of these reactor types guarantee the highest possible level of safety while complying with the safety standards set by nuclear reactors currently operating in Western Europe and throughout the world. Moreover, the study stated that the number of vendors selling these reactors is sufficient enough to ensure a competitive environment during the procurement stage of this new technology.  

At the beginning of 2007, the Nuclear Energy Department of Lietuvos Energija AB, aiming to gather thorough information about the availability of reactors on the market, assess the ability of their suppliers to implement the Visaginas Nuclear Power Plant Project in Lithuania and revise the information presented in the Feasibility Study, initiated a project for building competence in nuclear reactor technology. The results of this project will serve as the basis for properly preparing and arranging the tendering procedures for the procurement of reactor technology.

Interaction between the Feasibility Study and the selection of nuclear technology for the Visaginas Nuclear Power Plant is illustrated in Figure 1.  

Figure 1. Stages of technology selection for the nuclear power plant

Tender for the procurement of technology for VNPP

During Stage 1, the eligible manufacturers of nuclear reactor technology were identified and contacts with them were established.

During Stage 2, relevant questions about the characteristics of the proposed reactor technology as well as the ongoing project of the nuclear power plant were formulated and presented to eligible manufacturers.

Complying with the recommendations of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) given at the technological assessment stage and after grouping the questions, information about reactor technology for the following subjects was investigated:  

• Background information about reactor technology;
• Nuclear energy infrastructure necessary for the implementation of the nuclear power plant project, the construction site’s characteristics, the involvement of local subcontractors and strengthening their capacity;  
• Scope and scheduling of the nuclear power plant’s design, delivery and construction;
• Technical operating parameters of the nuclear power plants and reactors;
• Nuclear fuel cycle, management of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel;
• Nuclear safety assurance and licensing.

During Stage 3, meetings were arranged with eligible manufacturers and reactor suppliers in their head offices. Meetings were held with four manufacturers and nuclear reactor suppliers proposing reactors of the evolutionary generation (generation III and III+): General Electric-Hitachi (the US - Japan), AREVA Nuclear Power (France - Germany), Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) (Canada) and Westinghouse Electric Company LLC (the US). The purpose of these meetings was to compile detailed information about the technical characteristics of the reactors available on the market as well as the feasibility and capacity of the companies to implement Visaginas Nuclear Power Plant Project in Lithuania.

The meetings with the eligible manufacturers and reactor suppliers were also attended by representatives of power companies from Latvia, Estonia and Poland (Latvenergo AS, Eesti Energia AS and Polska Grupa Energetyszna (PGE)), which had also expressed their wish to participate in the implementation of the Nuclear Power Plant Project in Lithuania.

During Stage 4, all of the collected information was summarised in the Project Progress Report. This information will be used while implementing the next stage of preparation for the procurement of technology for the nuclear power plant, assessing the technology of particular types of reactors.