Zinc injection for further reduction of radiation fields at Obrigheim nuclear power plant

The Obrigheim nuclear power plant was built by Siemens in 1968 as a two-loop PWR (pressurised water reactor) plant. It has a rated capacity of 356 MW. From the outset, considerable effort was made to keep the radiation exposure of personnel to a minimum. This paper explains how dose rates were significantly reduced by implementing hydrogen- and lithium-based primary water chemistry regimes, by installing fine-mesh mechanical filters in the coolant purification system, by replacing the steam generators and decontaminating a number of other primary system components, as well as by administrative measures. (author)