LJUBLJANA (Slovenia), October 29 (SeeNews) – Slovenia's sole nuclear power plant Nuklearna Elektrarna Krsko (NEK) said it reconnected to the grid on Tuesday following the end of planned maintenance works which started on October 1.
"After testing at low power, we will gradually increase the plant's power," NEK said in a statement.
It added that the maintenance works included replacing part of NEK's fuel, performing regular maintenance works and carrying out ten major technological upgrades, aimed at improving the plant's nuclear and radiation safety.
The power plant holds regular maintenance works every 18 months.
NEK generates some 40% of Slovenia's electricity output. It operates a Westinghouse pressurised light water reactor of 2,000 MW thermal power capacity, which generates over five billion kWh of electricity per year.
The plant is jointly managed by its two owners - Slovenia's GEN Energija and Croatian power utility Hrvatska Elektroprivreda (HEP). The two neighbouring countries share the power plant's output.
Krsko was built in Slovenia near the border with Croatia in the 1970s and launched operations in 1982, when the two countries were still part of the former Yugoslavia.
The plant was originally designed to operate until 2023. In 2016, however, GEN Energija and HEP decided to extend its lifespan by 20 years until 2043, under the condition that the plant will undergo a security check every 10 years.