Applications for Nuclear Extended Power Uprates Increase

---

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--U.S. nuclear power utilities are increasing the number of applications to uprate their power plants to increase generation output while awaiting approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) (Washington, D.C.) for additional nuclear reactor construction. Currently, Industrial Info is tracking 18 nuclear uprate projects, which have a combined total investment value of more than $3.9 billion.

The uprates being tracked are primarily extended power uprates (EPU), which are the most expensive to implement and typically are performed in multiple phases. These types of projects require upgrading or replacing major plant components, such as high-pressure turbines, generators, pumps, motors, steam and feed-water piping, valves, transformers, and steam generators. EPUs can increase the generation output of a nuclear reactor by as much as 20% and are a stopgap that increases a plant's service life power output until new nuclear construction is approved.

The NRC classifies power uprates into three types. The least expensive type of uprate is the measurement uncertainty recapture uprate, which usually increases power less than 2% and is achieved by implementing enhanced techniques for calculating reactor power. This involves the use of state-of-the-art measurement devices to more precisely measure feedwater flow, which is used to calculate reactor power. The more precise measurements reduce the degree of uncertainty in the power level, which is used by analysts to predict the ability of the reactor to be safely shut down under postulated accident conditions.

Stretch power uprates typically increase power up to 7% within the design capacity of the plant. The actual value of the increase is plant-specific and depends on the operating margins included in the design of a particular plant. Stretch power uprates usually involve changes to instrumentation set points, but do not involve major plant modifications.

Extended power uprates are the most extensive and expensive to implement. EPUs are capable of increasing generation as much as 20%. These uprates require significant modifications to major balance-of-plant equipment.

No matter how large or small, all nuclear power uprates must be approved by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), which usually takes about two years to approve an uprate application.

The uprating of U.S. nuclear power plants began in 1977 with the approval of Constellation Generation Group's (Annapolis, Maryland) Calvert Cliffs Unit 1, which was a 5.5% stretch power uprate. This uprate began a wave of stretch uprates that lasted 21 years. In 1998, the NRC approved an uprate for the Edwin Hatch Nuclear Power Station Unit 1, which is owned by Southern Company (NYSE:SO) subsidiary Georgia Power Company (Atlanta, Georgia) for an 8% EPU, which increased the unit generation output by 68 megawatts (MW). Measurement uncertainty recapture uprates composed the next wave of uprates, which started in 2001 and continuing through 2010, according to the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) (Washington, D.C.).

Nuclear construction activity is expected to increase worldwide by more than 54,000 MW by 2016, according to the NEI. With the additional generator uprates associated with nuclear power plants already in operation, this points toward the availability of more business opportunities for domestic and international clients.

View Plant Profile - 1080876 1016650 1514373
View Project Report- 5003000 14003513 770000088

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. IIR's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle™, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.