Eekels carries out pumping work for a fuel rod reshuffle at Borssele nuclear power station

Every year, Borssele nuclear power station, which is owned by electricity company EPZ, closes down for maintenance in the second quarter. A fuel rod has a useful life of about four years, so roughly a quarter of the nuclear reactor’s fuel has to be replaced each year.

In order to replace the fuel rods, the cooling water systems have to be emptied using pumps. The maintenance work can only be carried out after draining.

Annual project 

Eekels deploys 11 pumps at the EPZ site for a period of two weeks every year. This system comprises three Hidrostal Betsy pumps, seven Grindex pumps and one air-driven diaphragm pump. Draining off the water effectively requires more than 725 metres of temporary piping, which consists of a combination of HDPE pipes and certified hoses with quick release fittings.

Eekels, your partner in pumps!