Latina Nuclear Power Plant
Encyclopedia
Latina Nuclear Power Plant is a nuclear power plant
at Latina, Lazio, Italy
. Consisting of one 153 MWe Magnox
reactor, it operated from 1963 until 1987.
Construction started in 1958. The first criticality occurred in December 1962, and the first connection to the distribution grid in May 1963. Commercial operation took place starting from January 1964.
The plant was originally rated at 210 MWe, but the danger of significant oxidation of mild steel components by the high temperature carbon dioxide coolant required (in 1969) a reduction in operating temperature
from 390 to 360 °C
, which reduced power by 24%, down to 160 MWe.
In 1985 its licence was renewed to operate until at least 1992 but after the Chernobyl disaster
it was shut down early in 1987. Phase 1 decommissioning (de-fuelling) has started.
Nuclear power plant
A nuclear power plant is a thermal power station in which the heat source is one or more nuclear reactors. As in a conventional thermal power station the heat is used to generate steam which drives a steam turbine connected to a generator which produces electricity.Nuclear power plants are usually...
at Latina, Lazio, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Consisting of one 153 MWe Magnox
Magnox
Magnox is a now obsolete type of nuclear power reactor which was designed and is still in use in the United Kingdom, and was exported to other countries, both as a power plant, and, when operated accordingly, as a producer of plutonium for nuclear weapons...
reactor, it operated from 1963 until 1987.
Construction started in 1958. The first criticality occurred in December 1962, and the first connection to the distribution grid in May 1963. Commercial operation took place starting from January 1964.
The plant was originally rated at 210 MWe, but the danger of significant oxidation of mild steel components by the high temperature carbon dioxide coolant required (in 1969) a reduction in operating temperature
Operating temperature
An operating temperature is the temperature at which an electrical or mechanical device operates. The device will operate effectively within a specified temperature range which varies based on the device function and application context, and ranges from the minimum operating temperature to the...
from 390 to 360 °C
Celsius
Celsius is a scale and unit of measurement for temperature. It is named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius , who developed a similar temperature scale two years before his death...
, which reduced power by 24%, down to 160 MWe.
In 1985 its licence was renewed to operate until at least 1992 but after the Chernobyl disaster
Chernobyl disaster
The Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear accident that occurred on 26 April 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine , which was under the direct jurisdiction of the central authorities in Moscow...
it was shut down early in 1987. Phase 1 decommissioning (de-fuelling) has started.
External links
- Nuclear power in Italy, Uranium Information CentreUranium Information CentreThe Uranium Information Centre was an Australian organisation primarily concerned with increasing the public understanding of uranium mining and nuclear electricity generation....
- Nuclear power in Italy at the WNAWorld Nuclear AssociationThe World Nuclear Association , formerly the Uranium Institute, is an international organization that promotes nuclear power and supports the many companies that comprise the global nuclear industry...
site. - Operating experience with the Latina Magnox reactor, Ente Nazionale per l'Energia Elettrica. (Links to 13p PDF.)