Vattenfall AB may shorten the duration of the closure of its German Kruemmel nuclear plant by installing a transformer meant for one of its coal-fired generators, Bloomberg reported.
The 25-year-old nuclear reactor stopped in July due to a short circuit, following a similar incident that resulted in a fire at the facility in 2007.
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The Swedish state-owned utility decided to substitute the plant’s two transformers, which alter power voltage, to prepare it for transmission.
Another Vattenfall nuclear plant, Brunsbuettel in Germany, has been closed for two years after a short circuit in the nearby power grid.
Vattenfall’s Central Europe head Tuomo Hatakka said the problem with reactors will cause the firm lose €1m ($1.5m) of operating income per day as it is forced to buy power from rivals.
Vattenfall’s CEO Lars Josefsson said that it will take over six months to substitute Kruemmel’s transformers, while the 771MW Brunsbuettel plant will restart production early next year.
E.ON AG holds a 50% interest in Kruemmel and a third of the Brunsbuettel reactor.
