Planned U.S. Nuclear Power Plant Uprates Exceed $1 Billion

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas) -- Power uprates of nuclear power plants are an economical and emission free way to increase generating capacity. Power plant owners are performing power uprates to increase output from as little as 0.4% to as much as 20%. Uprates can be as simple as adjusting operating parameters or as complicated as changing out major components, such as steam turbines, moisture separators/reheaters, main generators and transformers. According to Britt Burt, VP Power Industry for Industrial Info, “Electricity generated from nuclear power plants remains the most economical in terms of price per kilowatt hour. It is not surprising that we are seeing producers of nuclear generated electricity try to squeeze every megawatt possible from their existing plants. This is occurring globally as power producers are looking to meet future energy demands using the most economical means possible.”

North American nuclear power plants are leading the world in performance and reliability, making them prime candidates for nuclear plant uprates. Currently, Industrial Info is tracking more than 20 nuclear unit uprates scheduled to be implemented between now and 2012. These projects will result in an increase of 1,543 megawatts and will require an investment of about $1 billion. Additional uprate projects will be developed in the coming years. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is reviewing pending applications for 1,057 MW to be added by early 2008. In addition, the NRC expects 25 additional uprate applications from 2007 to 2011 that will increase output by another 4,150 MW.

The NRC classifies power uprates into three types:

· Measurement Uncertainty Recapture (MUR) uprates are usually less than 2% and are achieved by implementing enhanced techniques for calculating reactor power. This involves the use of state-of-the-art feedwater flow measurement devices to more precisely measure feedwater flow, which is used to calculate reactor power. 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 shutdown under postulated accident conditions.

· Stretch Power Uprates are typically up to 7% and are within the design capacity of the plant. The actual value for percentage increase in power a plant can achieve and stay within the stretch power uprate category 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 have been approved for increases as high as 20%. These uprates require significant modifications to major balance-of-plant equipment such as the high-pressure turbines, condensate pumps and motors, valves, main generators, and/or transformers.

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

The future of electrical production and the answer to our greenhouse gas emissions may be in additional and uprated nuclear power plants, as well as new technology such as the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PMBR), a smaller, safer and more economical way to create the fusion process now under development.

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