Doel and Tihange nuclear power plants

Client: EBES for Doel, INTERCOM for Tihange (now merged into ELECTRABEL).

Services: ASSISTANCE TO DECISION PROCESS / Pre-feasibility Studies / EXECUTION / Detailed Design / Engineering Procurement Construction Management / Owner's or Lender's Engineer / FEASIBILITY / Environmental Impact Assessment & Permitting / Feasibility Studies & Basic Design.

Tractebel Engineering was the Architect Engineer/Owner’s Engineer for the construction of the seven Belgian nuclear power units:

• Four in Doel, near Antwerp.
• Three in Tihange, near Huy.

The initial total power capacity for both sites was 5,713 MWe. The power output was increased step by step through steam generators replacement and modifications to the operating conditions. Today, the total power capacity is 6,228 MWe.

The type of reactor is a PWR for all units:

• Doel 1 and 2 – twin units – a 2-loop Westinghouse design – 392.5 MWe per unit.
• Doel 3 – a 3-loop Framatome design – 1006 MWe.
• Doel 4 – a 3-loop Westinghouse design – 985 MWe.
• Tihange 1 – a 3-loop Framatome design – 962 MWe.
• Tihange 2 – a 3-loop Framatome design – 960 MWe.
• Tihange 3 – a 3-loop Westinghouse design – 1015 MWe.
• A multi-contract approach was applied for the construction of all the units. As Architect Engineer for the utilities, Tractebel Engineering was closely involved in developing the plants:
• Pre-feasibility & Feasibility studies (including, among others):
  Electrical system analysis, unit sizing, siting, Conceptual and Detailed design, costing (investment and operations), financial review, due diligence, project development (organization, scheduling), staffing & training, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), licensing & safety-related studies, contracting (approach, BIS preparation, bid review, clarification, etc.), legal conformity checks, etc.
• Project management and support during construction/erection and the commissioning/acceptance tests phases:
  Permits and licensing, supply and procurement, project engineering (Detailed Design review, specifications compliance, etc.), erection follow-up, supervision of workshop inspections and tests, cost and planning follow-up, assistance with the interface with third parties, including the Belgian Safety Authorities, etc.
• Commissioning
  Drafting of test procedures, coordination and planning of the tests, achievement of the test from a cold shutdown up to 100% power.

Tractebel Engineering ensured the timely project implementation thanks to a fluent coordination of all the contractors involved (about 3,000 contracts per unit), and a sound cooperation with the Belgian Safety Authorities.