NPJ 2009 Sept-Oct

NuclearPlantJournal

Cooper, USAISSN: 0892-2055

NuclearPlantJournal

Plant Maintenance & Advanced Reactors

September-October 2009Volume 27 No. 5

SO09.indd 1SO09.indd 1 9/23/2009 11:00:54 AM9/23/2009 11:00:54 AM

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For monthly photo updates of construction progress, send your e-mail address to [email protected].

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Nuclear Plant Journal, September-October 2009 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com 5

Plant Maintenance & Advanced Reactors

®

Articles & Reports

Shared Expectations with the Licensee 20 By Michael Johnson, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Improved Cost & Schedule 23By Christofer M. Mowry, Babcock & Wilcox Modular Nuclear Energy, LLC.

Committed to Safety & Quality 26By Mike McMahon, Day & Zimmermann Power Services

Solving Equipment Reliability Issues 31By Craig Irish, Nuclear Logistics, Inc.

Benefi ting from Standardization 34By George Vanderheyden, UniStar Nuclear Energy

Development of Advanced Nuclear Reactors Worldwide 36By Sama Bilbao y León, International Atomic Energy Agency

Industry InnovationsA Unique & Visionary ECT Program 44 By Bob Lisowyj, Omaha Public Power District and Zoran Kuljis, Westinghouse

Plant Profi le Continued Focus on Excellence 48By Nebraska Public Power District Departments New Energy News 8

Utility, Industry & Corporation 11

New Products, Services & Contracts 14

New Documents 18

Meeting & Training Calendar 19

Journal ServicesList of Advertisers 6

Advertiser Web Directory 40

On The CoverCooper Nuclear Station is located in Nebraska. Cooper station furnishes about 20 percent of the power Nebraska Public Power District generates for Nebraska citizens. See page 48 for a profi le.

Nuclear Plant JournalSeptember-October 2009, Volume 27 No. 5

Nuclear Plant Journal is published by EQES, Inc.six times a year in February, April, June, August, October and Decem-ber (Directory).

The subscription rate for non-qualifi ed readers in the United States is $150.00 for six issues per year. The additional air mail cost for non-U.S. readers is $30.00. Payment may be made by American Express®, Master Card®, VISA® or check and should accompany the order. Checks not drawn on a United States bank should include an additional $45.00 service fee. All inquiries should be addressed to Nuclear Plant Journal, 799 Roosevelt Road, Building 6, Suite 208, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137-5925; Phone: (630) 858-6161, ext. 103; Fax: (630) 858-8787.

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© Copyright 2009 by EQES, Inc. Nuclear Plant Journal is a registered trademark of EQES, Inc.Printed in the USA.

Staff

Senior Publisher and EditorNewal K. Agnihotri

Publisher and Sales ManagerAnu Agnihotri

Editorial & Marketing AssistantMichelle Gaylord

Administrative Assistant QingQing Zhu

27th Year of Publication

Mailing Identifi cation Statement

Nuclear Plant Journal (ISSN 0892-2055) is published bimonthly in February, April, June, August, October and December by EQES, Inc., 799 Roosevelt Road, Building 6, Suite 208, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137-5925. The printed version of the Journal is avail-able cost-free to qualifi ed readers in the United States and Canada. The digital version is available to qualified readers worldwide. The subscription rate for non-qualified readers is $150.00 per year. The cost for non-qualifi ed, non-U.S. readers is $180.00. Periodicals (permit number 000-739) postage paid at the Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 and additional mailing offi ces. POSTMAS-TER: Send address changes to Nuclear Plant Journal (EQES, Inc.), 799 Roosevelt Road, Building 6, Suite 208, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137-5925.


6 www.NuclearPlantJournal.com Nuclear Plant Journal, September-October 2009

Nuclear Plant Journal Rapid Response Fax Form

To: _________________________ Company: __________________ Fax: ___________________

From: _______________________ Company: __________________ Fax: ___________________

Address:_____________________ City: _______________________ State: _____ Zip: _________

Phone: ______________________ E-mail: _____________________

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List of Advertisers & NPJ Rapid Response

September-October 2009 Nuclear Plant Journal

Advertisers’ fax numbers may be used with the form at the bottom of the page. Advertisers’ web sites are listed in the Web Directory Listings on page 40.

Page Advertiser Contact Fax/Email/URL2 AREVA NP, Inc. Donna Gaddy-Bowen ( 434) 832-3840

21 Bechtel Power www.bechtel.com

37 Black & Veatch Keith Gusich (913) 458-2491

35 Ceradyne Patti Bass (714) 675-6565

33 Enertech, a business unit of Curtiss-Wright Flow Control Company Tom Schell [email protected]

13 HSB Global Standards Catherine Coseno (860) 722-5705

45 Kinectrics Inc. Cheryl Tasker (416) 207-6532

29 NACE International www.nace.org/education

43 Nuclear Logistics Inc. Craig Irish (978) 250-0245

25 Power House Tool, Inc. Laura Patterson (815) 727-4835

41 Radiation Protection Systems, Inc. (RPS) Marc Greenleaf (860) 446-1876

17 Rolls-Royce Gordon Welsh www.rolls-royce.com

25 Seal Master Thomas Hillery (330) 673-8410

7 The Babcock & Wilcox Company Heidi Brizendine [email protected]

47 Thermo Fisher Scientifi c, Scientifi c Instruments Division, CIDTEC Cameras & Imagers Tony Chapman (315) 451-9421

52 Trentec, a business unit of Curtiss-Wright Flow Control Company Don Murphy (301) 682-9209

4 UniStar Nuclear Energy Mary Klett (410) 470-5606

27 Urenco Enrichment Company Ltd. Please e-mail [email protected]

39 Westerman Nuclear Jim Christian (740) 569-4111

15 Western Space and Marine, Inc. Scott Millard (805) 968-0027

51 Westinghouse Electric Company LLC Karen Fischetti (412) 374-3244

10 WM Symposia, Inc. Mary E. Young [email protected]

9 Zachry Nuclear Engineering, Inc Lisa Apicelli (860) 446-8292

3 Zetec, Inc. Patrick Samson (418) 263-3742



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New Energy News

IndiaAREVA submitted a bid to Indian

utility NPCIL for the design and construction of two EPR™ reactors. The plants will be built on the Jaitapur site in the state of Maharastra and commissioning is scheduled for late 2017 and end of 2018. Within the scope of the site development plan, NPCIL expects Jaitapur to accommodate up to six units.

To move this ambitious program forward rapidly, AREVA has submitted an early works agreement to NPCIL to launch initial design and book the manufacturing capacities needed for the major components.

In parallel, AREVA is joining forces with a number of local companies:

The group has entered into a strategic alliance with Bharat Forge by signing an agreement which lays down the main conditions of the joint-venture which is set to build a forged parts manufacturing plant in India.

AREVA has fi nalized the terms of a framework agreement with the Indian engineering company TCE Consulting Engineers Limited (TCE), a subsidiary of the Tata Sons Limited.

Contact: Julien Duperray, telephone: 33 1 34 96 12 15.

FinlandConstruction by AREVA of the

Olkiluoto 3 EPR™ reactor in Finland reached a major milestone with the installation of the reactor building dome.

The steel component weighing 210 tons and measuring almost 47 meters across was hoisted by two cranes and lowered into place 44 meters above the ground. The inner section of the reactor building is now completely covered and to seal it, the dome will be welded around its circumference and covered with 7,000 tons of concrete.


Czech RepublicEnergy company CEZ, Czech

Republic, has opened the public tender

for the selection of a supplier for two nuclear units for Temelin location. CEZ has published its announcement concerning opening the public tender on the information server providing a list of public tenders in the Czech Republic and the same announcement is expected to be published on the all-European web site as well. Apart from the requirement for delivery of two new nuclear units, the public tender includes a requirement for unilateral option for the benefi t of CEZ regarding construction of up to 3 more nuclear units in other potential locations within Europe.

Contact: Marek Svitak, telephone: 420 381 102 328, email: [email protected].

ItalyEnel and EDF announced the

creation of the equal basis joint venture “Sviluppo Nucleare Italia Srl” aimed at developing the feasibility studies for the construction of at least 4 advanced third generation EPR units as improvised in the agreement Enel and EDF signed on February 24, 2009 during the Franco-Italian summit in Rome.

Enel and EDF will hold a 50% stake in the joint venture respectively and the company will be headquartered in Rome, Italy.

Once the studies have been completed and the necessary investment decision taken, individual companies will be instituted to build, own and operate each of the EPR power plants.

Contact: David Newhouse, telephone: 33 1 40 42 32 45.

Uranium EnrichmentGlobal Laser Enrichment (GLE)

announced the start-up of a “test loop” to evaluate a next-generation uranium enrichment technology that GLE is developing to increase the United States’ supply of enriched uranium for nuclear power plants worldwide.

GLE, a business venture of GE, Hitachi Ltd. and Cameco, will use the test loop’s results in determining whether to commercialize laser-based enrichment

technology in the fi rst such full-scale commercial production facility in the world.

GLE’s facility could support U.S. high-tech manufacturing employment by potentially creating hundreds of permanent engineering and support staff positions, as well as providing supply chain growth across the United States. During construction, the project could create more than 500 temporary trade jobs.

The test loop is designed to validate the commercial feasibility of the technology and advance the design of the equipment, facility and processes for the planned commercial production facility. While the results will be proprietary, Tammy Orr, president and CEO of GLE, noted, “We are very encouraged with the results we have obtained to date and with the pace of our progress on Global Laser Enrichment.”

GLE anticipates gleaning suffi cient data from the test loop by the end of 2009 to decide whether to proceed with plans for a full-scale commercial enrichment facility. At that time, the company also would refi ne its projected schedule for bringing the plant online.

Contact: Ned Glascock, telephone: (910) 819-5729, email: [email protected].

Public SupportEighty-four percent of Americans

living near nuclear power plants favor nuclear energy, while an even greater number—90 percent―view the local power station positively, and 76 percent support construction of a new reactor near them, according to a new public opinion survey of more than 1,100 adults across the United States.

The survey contacted people residing within the 10 mile-radius of an operating nuclear power plant and excluded electric company employees.

The survey also found that 88 percent give the nearest nuclear plant a “high” safety rating, 91 percent have confi dence in the company’s ability to operate


mailto: [email protected]



(Continued on page 10)

the power plant safely, and 86 percent believe the company is doing a good job protecting the environment.

The telephone survey of 1,152 randomly selected plant neighbors—18 adults within 10 miles of each of the nation’s 64 nuclear power plant sites—was conducted in mid-July, 2009.

Survey results are available at: http://www.nei.org/resourcesandstats/documentlibrary/ newplants/reports/third-biennial-nuclear-power-plant-neighbor-public-opinion-tracking-survey.

Contact: Nuclear Energy Institute, telephone: (202) 739-8000, email: [email protected].

Early Site PermitThe Nuclear Regulatory Commis-

sion’s Offi ce of New Reactors has issued an Early Site Permit (ESP) and Limited Work Authorization (LWA) to Southern Nuclear Operating Company for the Vog-tle site near Augusta, Georgia. The ESP, valid for up to 20 years, is the fourth such permit the NRC has approved.

Successful completion of the ESP process resolves many site-related

safety and environmental issues, and determines the site is suitable for possible future construction and operation of a nuclear power plant. The LWA allows a narrow set of construction activities at the site. Southern Nuclear fi led its ESP application on August 15, 2006, and fi led its LWA request on Aug. 16, 2007, seeking permission for construction activities limited to placement of engineered backfi ll, retaining walls, lean concrete, mudmats, and a waterproof membrane.

Contact: Offi ce of Public Affairs, telephone: (301}) 415-8200, email: [email protected].

Uranium Enrichment Facility

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has accepted for formal review an application by General Electric-Hitachi Global Laser Enrichment for a license to construct and operate a uranium enrichment plant using laser technology in Wilmington, N.C.

GE-Hitachi submitted the application in two stages: an environmental report, submitted on January 30, 2009 and a safety report, tendered on June 26, 2009.

The NRC staff has completed an initial acceptance review and determined that the application is suffi ciently complete for the agency to begin its formal licensing reviews. The agency has already requested additional information from the applicant.

Contact: Offi ce of Public Affairs, telephone: (301}) 415-8200, email: [email protected].

Pebble Fuel HeadsIn a fi rst for Africa, South Africa’s

Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) company – in collaboration with Necsa (the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation) – has manufactured High Temperature Reactor fuel spheres or “pebbles” containing 9.6% enriched uranium. Sixteen of these graphite spheres were shipped to Russia for irradiation tests to demonstrate the fuel’s integrity under reactor conditions.

The achievement follows PBMR and Necsa’s successful manufacturing in December 2008 of enriched uranium-coated particles, 14,000 of which are

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New Energy...Continued from page 9

contained in a pebble. It is the fi rst time that High Temperature Reactor fuel has been manufactured in the southern hemisphere.

Contact: Tom Ferreira, telephone: 22( 0) 83 264 6188, email: [email protected].

License RenewalPSEG Nuclear submitted applications

to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to extend the operating licenses of its Salem and Hope Creek Generating Stations by 20 years.

Salem is a dual unit station with a generating capacity of 2,345 megawatts. Salem Unit 1’s current 40 year operating license expires in 2016 with Unit 2’s operating license expiring in 2020. Hope Creek is a single unit station with a

generating capacity of 1,211 megawatts. Its original operating license expires in 2026.

Contact: Joe Delmar, telephone: (856) 339-1934.

ChinaThe Shaw Group Inc. and

Westinghouse Electric Company, its AP1000 Consortium team member, announced, along with China’s State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation (SNPTC) and Nuclear Construction Company #5, the successful placement of the fi rst major structural module at the Sanmen nuclear power plant project.

Weighing approximately 1,020 tons (with rigging apparatus) and measuring 69 feet wide, 44 feet long and 69 feet high, Auxiliary Building Module CA-20

is the largest of the project’s more than 200 structural and mechanical modules. Its placement ranks as one of the heaviest and largest on record for the nuclear energy industry.

Shaw provided engineering and project management services leading up to and throughout the module’s lift and placement, which was executed safely and without incident. The Module CA-20 partially makes up the walls, fl oors and rooms of the auxiliary building, one of six buildings that comprise the nuclear island of an AP1000™ nuclear power plant.

Contact: Gentry Brann, telephone: (225) 987-7372, email: [email protected].

LithuaniaLithuania’s State Nuclear Power

Safety Inspectorate (VATESI) has issued a license to Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (Ignalina NPP) for construction of solid radioactive waste management facilities.

The license has been issued under certain preconditions that will have to be fulfi lled prior to the beginning of operation of the waste management facilities, i.e. during the construction stage Ignalina NPP will have to properly ensure physical protection and to install security equipment at the construction site. Moreover, Ignalina NPP has to demonstrate that the contractor has enough qualifi ed manpower to perform specifi c operations, and to provide VATESI with the schedules for supervising the progress of construction works and inspection of equipment.

At the management site of solid radioactive waste all waste of the mentioned type from operation and decommissioning of Ignalina NPP will be managed and stored for a fi fty-year period.

The commissioning of the new waste processing equipment in the existing territory of Ignalina NPP, Drūkšiai Village, Visaginas Municipality is scheduled for the year 2012.

Contact: A. Gostauto, telephone: 370 5 262 4141, email: [email protected]. �

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Utility, Industry & Corporation

UtilityTeach for America

The Entergy Charitable Foundation announced a gift of $355,000 to Teach for America, the national corps of top recent college graduates.

Louisiana State University (LSU) will receive a grant of $45,000 from the Entergy Charitable Foundation as a match toward the cost of developing a curriculum to train students to work in the nuclear industry.

The LSU grant is part of a larger effort to develop an educated and highly trained workforce for the energy industry. The U.S. Department of Labor reports that by 2012 large numbers of energy industry workers will be eligible for retirement.

Contact: Michael Burns, telephone: (504) 576-4238, email: [email protected].

IndustryEducation Grants

The Nuclear Regulatory Commis-sion has awarded nearly $20 million to 70 institutions to boost nuclear education and expand the workforce in nuclear and nuclear-related disciplines. Congress pro-vided the NRC funding for a $5 million Educational Curriculum program and an additional $15 million to supplement the NRC’s grant program for scholarships and fellowships, faculty development, trade schools, and community colleges, with $5 million of this amount designated for the Integrated University Program. The Integrated University Program funds are coordinated and awarded through the NRC, Department of Energy, and Na-tional Nuclear Security Administration to support multi-year research projects that do not align with programmatic missions

but are critical to maintaining nuclear en-gineering and science.

The NRC awarded 102 grants for scholarships ($2.9 million) fellowships ($5.4 million), faculty development ($4.8 million), trade and community college scholarships ($1.8 million) and nuclear education and curriculum development ($4.8 million). Recipients are located in 29 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Additional details are posted on the NRC’s Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/grants/awards.html.

Contact: Technical questions should be directed to either John Gutteridge, at (301)-492-2313, for the $15 million program or Randi Neff, at (301) 492-2301, for the $5 million program. Administrative questions should be directed to Kathleen Shino, at (301) 492-3636, in the Division of Contracts.


Nuclear Plant Journal's Product & Service Directory 2010

2010 DirectoryAll nuclear power industry suppliers who are not listed

in the 2009 Directory may request a complete information package by sending an email to [email protected] with

complete contact information.

Suppliers listed in Nuclear Plant Journal's 2009 Directory will receive the 2010 Directory mailing with a list of their

products and services as they appeared in the 2009 Directory.

Deadlines:Input Form- November 18, 2009

Ad Commitment- November 18, 2009

Nuclear Plant JournalPhone: (630) 858-6161, ext. 103

Fax: (630) 858-8787http://www.NuclearPlantJournal.com.

E-mail: [email protected]

Nuclear Plant JournalAn International PublicationPublished in the United States

Cost-free 5 Listings & Organization's Contact Information




CorporationGalaxy IT Platform

Accenture and UniStar Nuclear Energy (UNE) have extended their agreement to design, build, operate, and maintain the ‘Galaxy’ IT platform, capable of supporting the data needs of nuclear energy facilities.

The new agreement, which adds to the original contract signed in April 2008, covers additional work necessary for Accenture to support business processes, including confi guration management of detailed design data and management of data associated with required inspections; testing, and analyses; and use of acceptance criteria involved with the construction of nuclear energy facilities. The agreement also calls for Accenture to market and distribute Galaxy in collaboration with UNE to companies engaged in the design, construction and operation of nuclear energy facilities.

Contact: Christine Fields, telephone: (216) 535-5092, email: Christine.fi [email protected].

Joint VentureAREVA and Day & Zimmermann

have formed a joint venture to offer comprehensive engineering, construction and maintenance services to the nuclear utilities in the United States. The integrated, end-to-end solutions will primarily focus on the Balance of Plant (BOP), implementing both major and minor nuclear plant modifi cations.

The joint venture will operate as AREVA DZ LLC, with AREVA’s Gary Mignogna serving as President and Day & Zimmermann’s Mike McMahon as Executive Vice President. AREVA DZ services include design/build BOP projects, standard plant modifi cations, BOP major component replacements, decommissioning, power uprates, plant upgrades, and other large and complex projects.

Contact: Susan Hess, telephone: (434) 732-2379, email: [email protected].

SG ReplacementBabcock & Wilcox Canada Ltd.

(B&W Canada) shipped the second of two replacement nuclear once-through steam generators (OTSGs) for Progress Energy Florida’s Crystal River Unit 3.

Each replacement OTSG weighs 465 tons, measures 73 feet long and 12 feet in diameter and will replace the existing nuclear steam generators at the 860 megawatt Unit 3.

The completed vessel shipped from the Cambridge, Canada facility by rail on August 7, 2009 to the Port of Toronto, where it was loaded onto a heavy lift ship for transport to the Port of Tampa on August 10, 2009.

Contact: Natalie Cutler, telephone: (519) 621-2130, email: [email protected].

Reactor HeadsBabcock & Wilcox Nuclear Power

Generation Group, Inc. (B&W NPG) has completed the manufacture of the fi rst of two nuclear reactor closure heads as part of a contract to AREVA NP for Pacifi c Gas & Electric’s Diablo Canyon Power Plant located in San Luis Obispo County, California. The closure head left The Babcock & Wilcox Company’s (B&W) Mount Vernon, Indiana, plant in July, 2009 en route to California.

Contact: Ryan Cornell, telephone: (330) 860-1345, email: [email protected].

Management ProgramDay & Zimmermann announced

that it has partnered with WorkForce Soft-ware to develop a Worker Fatigue Man-agement Program. The program is in re-sponse to the Code of Federal Regulation 10 CFR 26 Subpart I requirements, which mandate the number of consecutive hours and days that personnel at nuclear facili-ties are permitted to work.

Day & Zimmermann’s new program will remove the burden of managing sup-plemental worker populations from its customers, particularly during outages, when there is a rapid increase of workers. The software accounts for all of the vari-ous nuances in the federal regulation, and supports all Nuclear Regulatory Com-mission required reporting. In addition to generating real-time reports, the software tracks worker hours and rest periods to

forecast possible violations, and creates data that can be exported into many exist-ing software programs, making manage-ment as seamless as possible.

Contact: Maureen Omrod, telephone: (215) 299-2234, email: [email protected].

Strategic AllianceNewton Research Labs, Inc., a

Seattle based manufacturer of robotics, machine vision and optical automation, and Greenman-Pedersen, Inc. (GPI) an engineering and construction services fi rm announced their agreement to develop and market robotic methods to inspect and provide protective coating and other maintenance services for commercial nuclear power plants and Department of Energy nuclear facilities.

Under the terms of the agreement, the fi rms will develop and market a robotic approach to engineering and construction tasks heretofore performed by humans. Robots are particularly well suited to performing complex, repetitive tasks in hostile environments. Sophisticated sensing devices and end-effectors make tasks like inspection, data collection, information management, welding and painting routine even under the most adverse conditions.

Contact: Anita Garrahan, telephone: (631) 587-5060.

Name ChangeRadiation Protection Systems, Inc.

(RPS) and Nuclear Fuel Services (NFS) are no longer affi liated companies.

To minimize any confusion or implication of possible affi liation, RPS has formally changed its Delaware Corporation registration to “Radiation Protection Systems Inc.” (RPS).

Contact: Marc Greenleaf, telephone: (860) 445-0334, email: [email protected].

Supplier AwardRockbestos-Surprenant Cable

Corporation (RSCC) received the AREVA US Certifi ed Nuclear Supplier Award on June 4, 2009. The supplier selection process to receive this Certifi cation and award was based on multiple criteria that embraced partnering strategies, technological innovation, teaming strategies, outstanding product quality, and engineering support.

Corporation...Continued from page 11





[email protected]




RSCC was presented this AREVA US Certifi ed Nuclear Supplier Award and Certifi cation by Ann Lauvergeon AREVA CEO. RSCC President, Dennis Chalk, RSCC National Sales Manager Utility Group, Mark St. Onge, and Utility Cell General Manager, Steve Sandberg received the award.

Contact: Jim Belanger, telephone: (860) 653-8377, email: [email protected].

AcquisitionWestinghouse Electric Company,

LLC has acquired CS Innovations, LLC, an Instrumentation and Control (I&C) nuclear product supplier to the digital I&C safety system upgrade market.

Located in Scottsdale, Arizona, United States, CS Innovations will become known as CS Innovations, a subsidiary of Westinghouse Electric Company, LLC. CS Innovations offers the only non-software-based solution that meets current requirements for digital safety systems, and is approved by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

Contact: Vaughn Gilbert, telephone: (412}) 347-3896, email: [email protected].

Welding SchoolWestinghouse Electric Company

announces the opening of a new WEC Welding Institute in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Currently, 10 students are enrolled in the no-cost program that is equipped to train and graduate up to 288 welders per year to perform work in both nuclear and non-nuclear plants. Westinghouse also has a WEC Welding Institute in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Together the welding institutes have the capacity to graduate more than 700 welders a year.

The Chattanooga WEC Welding Institute is equipped with 48 weld booths and certifi es students after they complete an average of fi ve months of hands-on training. After training, they can take the American Society of Mechanical Engineers” (ASME) welding qualifi cation exam. Once students pass the exam and receive certifi cation, they must work for

Westinghouse for 2,000 hours. They have the opportunity to work as apprentices at power plants or at any facility where Westinghouse is performing welding. To attain journeyman status, students must complete an additional 2,000 hours of welding.

Contact: Vaughn Gilbert, telephone: (412}) 347-3896, email: [email protected].

MOUWilliams Industrial Services

Group, LLC a subsidiary of Global Power Equipment Group Inc. and ENERCON announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to offer integrated design engineering and construction services to specifi c nuclear clients. The new alliance was recently awarded security upgrade projects for the entire Entergy Nuclear fl eet of northern and southern plants. Both Williams and ENERCON have principal offi ces in the Atlanta, Georgia area.

Contact: Dan Daniels, telephone (770) 879-4034. �

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New Products, Services & Contracts

New ProductsAnalyzer

A2 Technologies, Scotland, an-nounced that its iPAL FTIR analyzer is now available with sampling technology and pre-loaded methods specifi cally de-signed for measurement of chemical spe-cies of signifi cant importance to the nu-clear power industry. Battery powdered, portable iPAL analyzers are rapidly being adopted in nuclear power plants through-out the world to ensure reliable facility operation, regulatory compliance as well as supporting pro-active maintenance programs.

iPAL systems easily handle some of the most time consuming chemical measurements - analyses that would typically take hours or even days off site are now handled by the iPAL system right on-site in a matter of minutes. A2 Technology also offers the PAL analyzer, a bench top version of the iPAL, for customers who do not require battery operation or portability.

Contact: telephone: 44 7765 9702120, email: [email protected].

Laser RemovalCSA, Inc. has developed laser

scanning technology that has been used successfully for nuclear plant equipment removal/replacement activities. With CSA’s PanoMap™ software, interference checking can be done directly against the laser scanned area, providing more accurate results than a 3D model.

The new design can be verifi ed against the laser scanned data (as-built) at an early stage and adjusted as needed. The identifi ed interferences are clearly color-coded. The rigging simulation can optimize the removal path, to provide substantial savings of time and dose.

PanoMap’s many features include precise measurement, dimensioning, intelligent labels that can tie to plant’s other databases, tag numbers and activity designations (the construction schedule). PanoMap can integrate with other CAD systems; it can use data from any laser scanner and runs on standard PCs.

Contact: Olga Burger, telephone: (770) 955-9518, email: [email protected].

Flaw DetectorWeighing only 2.2 pounds, the USM

Go is a light and portable ultrasonic fl aw detector available from GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies. The USM Go is designed for ease of prolonged operation in the harshest inspection environments.

The instrument is pressure-respon-sive, has joystick control, ergonomic de-sign and features data display resolution on a screen with a large pixel count.

Contact: Amanda Fontaine, telephone: (978) 437-1446, email: [email protected].

Lift CraneMammoet announced the introduc-

tion onto the market, in Q3 2011, of two New Generation cranes, developed in-house for the very heaviest lifts. These two cranes, the PTC 120 DS (maximum load moment 120,000 ton meters (metric tons multiplied by the radius)) and the PTC 160 DS (160,000 ton meters) intro-duce a whole new range of world cranes. The key feature to the new generation is that the cranes combine capacity with versatility to facilitate a new approach to heavy lift and construction projects.

Contact: Jennifer Lovell-Butler, telephone: (281) 369-2200, email: [email protected].

PWR ScannersPhoenix Inspection Systems, United

Kingdom, has launched new, updated versions of two of its nuclear power plant inspection scanners. Both SAGE and APSIS are designed specifi cally for use on pressurized water reactors (PWRs) and have proven track records within the industry.

SAGE is used for the inspection of pipe and nozzle welds and in the latest revision, MAXI-SAGE has been designed to inspect critical welds on the primary circuit. The scanner can be assembled in less than 10 minutes to minimize the time

operators spend in contaminated areas. It allows for the simple interchange of probes, allowing greater fl exibility to use different numbers and confi gurations.

APSIS - the Automatic Pressurizer Surge Line Inspection System – is used for testing transition, austenitic and thermal sleeve welds on the pressurizer surge line and the surge line to primary loop welds. It can be deployed with Pulse-Echo, TOFD and Phased Array ultrasonic techniques.

Contact: Pauline Rawsterne, telephone: 0161 860 6063, email: [email protected].

Duct TapeUticom Systems, Inc, a manufacturer

of nuclear grade graphics has helped develop a new product - U89NG nuclear grade, clean removing- duct tape-that has a halogen and sulfur c of c- and is an UL723, HUD, ANSI/ASME NQA-1-2008 and BOCA compliant alternative to traditional duct tape. Uticom’s U89NG removes cleanly for up to six months from most opaque surfaces even after exposure to sunlight and temperature extremes. Additionally, this nuclear grade duct tape will stay on for up to one full year without deterioration even after application in harsh conditions such as direct sunlight and precipitous/wet environments.

Contact: telephone: (610) 854-2655, email: [email protected].

ServicesLifecycle Management

Faced with equipment repairs/replacements, increasing regulatory pressures, and growth standardization initiatives, Plant Lifecycle Management (PLM) from BCP Engineers & Consultants is essential for any capital intensive facility and power plant organization that desires to be effi cient and effective over the entire lifecycle of their plant.

PLM impacts the entire lifecycle, reduces risk in all lifecycle phases, integrates and provides access to plant data, and captures fl eet synergies.




Contact: Chris Staubus, telephone: (727) 736-3151, fax: (727) 736-4157, email: [email protected].

Tax SpecialistBCP Engineers & Consultants

provides experienced, trained engineers and tax specialists to directly support the tax department's Research & Development (R&D) claim needs. BCP delivers comprehensive detailed reports complete with audit trail and supporting documentation providing the necessary support and backup to substantiate a R&D claim.

Contact: Chris Staubus, telephone: (727) 736-3151, fax: (727) 736-4157, email: [email protected].

Traveling Wave ReactorBurns and Roe is providing

architectural and engineering support for the conceptual design of a Traveling Wave Reactor (TWR) for TerraPower, LLC. The conceptual design will be for a nuclear electric power plant with a 3000 thermal MW reactor using a revolutionary core design.

Contact: Don Flood, email: dfl [email protected].

Crane & HoistMorris Material Handling, the

original equipment manufacturer of P&H® Cranes, Hoists, and Replacement Parts, provides crane and hoist modernization services to improve overall performance of overhead lifting systems. Morris Material Handling can perform a complete overhaul of cranes and hoists—including vintage models—to help customers achieve a higher level of productivity, effi ciency, and safety.

Service modernizations from Morris Material Handling help customers achieve maximum real-time return on investment, restoring faulty or outdated overhead lifting systems to peak performance and reliability. Modernizations can correct a wide range of crane and hoist defi ciencies, including mechanical instability, inadequate capacity, high spare parts turnover, high maintenance costs, poor diagnostics, obsolete components, and changes in manufacturing standards. Strategically planned, modernizations can result in increased performance and reliability, reduced maintenance and emergency

repairs, proper machinery classifi cation, and better spare parts availability.

Contact: Steve Kirschner, telephone: (513) 421-1169, email: [email protected].

ContractsDiesel Generators

Alstom has won an order to supply eight new emergency diesel generators (EDGs) to the Taishan nuclear power plant in Guangdong, China, the country’s fi rst EPR-based plant.

The contract was signed between a consortium regrouping Alstom Power Turbomachines, Alstom Wuhan Engineering & Technology Co. Ltd. and MAN Diesel SAS, and an AREVA-led consortium with the China Nuclear Power Engineering Co, Ltd. and the owner TSNPC. With a scope of $40 million in the contract, Alstom, as the leader of the consortium will supply the design, manufacturing and procurement for 8 x 9.1 MW EDGs, and provide the on-site support service. These EDGs will be due for commissioning in 2013.

Contact: Susanne Shields, telephone: 33 1 41 49 27 22, email: [email protected].

EPCAREVA and its U.S. consortium

partner Bechtel Power Corporation announced that they have signed a term sheet with Baltimore-based UniStar Nuclear Energy outlining the terms and conditions for an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for UniStar’s proposed Calvert Cliffs 3 nuclear energy facility project in Maryland. The EPC term sheet agreement is a critical step in negotiating an overall EPC contract.

The EPC contract for Calvert Cliffs 3 is planned to be the fi rst in a series of standardized EPC contracts for a fl eet of U.S. EPR™ facilities that will be licensed, developed and constructed as part of the UniStar Nuclear Energy business model.

Contact: Susan Hess, telephone: (434) 732-2379, email: [email protected].

Nuclear FuelAREVA has signed a 6-year contract

with Central Nuclear de Trillo for the supply of approximately 240 fuel


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Contracts...Continued from page 15

assemblies and related services for the CNT 1 reactor, located in Guadalajara, Spain.

This award, to take effect in 2010, follows the long-standing cooperation between AREVA and Central Nuclear de Trillo.


SG TubesAREVA and Sandvik Materials

Technology, Sweden, a subsidiary of Sandvik group, signed a multi-year contract to supply steam generator tubes, valued at almost 200 millions euros.

This agreement, as part of the AREVA long-term strategy, secures critical supplies and enables the group to meet the strong global demand for future nuclear power plants.

This agreement reinforces the two companies’ cooperation and marks another important stage in the relationship between the two groups.

Steam generators tubes fi rst deliveries will occur at the end of 2013.


Maintenance ContractDay & Zimmermann has been

awarded a multi-year contract by PSEG Nuclear. The scope includes full-service maintenance and modifi cation work as well as selected project work at their Salem and Hope Creek Nuclear Stations in Hancocks Bridge, NJ. With the award of this contract, PSEG Nuclear and Day & Zimmermann renew a successful long-term relationship that began in 1997.

Contact: Brian Hartz, telephone: (717) 391-3138, email: [email protected].

Service ContractDay & Zimmermann NPS (DZNPS)

announced that it has been awarded a $50Million Dollar contract by the Ten-nessee Valley Authority (TVA). Under this contract, DZNPS will provide ser-vices to assist in the completion of TVA’s

Watts Bar Unit 2 Nuclear Plant in Spring City, Tennessee. DZNPS will be provid-ing managed task, maintenance and mod-ifi cation, and refurbishment services in support of TVA and their partners. This effort will consist of the replacement, refurbishment, modifi cation, and instal-lation of major plant components by per-forming mechanical, electrical and civil work primarily in the plant’s Turbine Building and other areas.

Contact: Brian Hartz, telephone: (717) 391-3138, email: [email protected].

Digital Control Computers

L-3 MAPPS has won an order from Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) to replace the Gentilly-2 Nuclear Generating Station’s Digital Control Computers (DCCs). DCC systems are used to monitor and control the major reactor and power plant functions at CANDU nuclear power plants. The DCC replacement project is part of a plant refurbishment project which will extend the life of Gentilly-2 until approximately the year 2040.

Contact: Andre Rochon, telephone: (514) 787-4953.

Simulator UpgradeL-3 MAPPS has signed an

agreement with Eletrobrás Termonuclear S.A. – Eletronuclear of Brazil to upgrade its Angra 2 simulator at the Almirante Álvaro Alberto Nuclear Power Station. The project will commence in summer 2009 and will span approximately two years.

Contact: Andre Rochon, telephone: (514) 787-4953.

PCB Capacitors Removal

Siempelkamp Nuclear Services, Inc. (SNS) has been contracted by Argonne Na-tional Laboratory to remove Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) capacitors from the his-toric Intense Pulse Neutron Source (IPNS) Facility. Federal programmatic needs have recently changed the state of use of the historic IPNS from operational status to facility transition mode. Part of the IPNS transition scope is to safely remove and dispose off-site, approximately 350 PCB capacitors.

SNS will provide the necessary planning, management, labor and equipment to electrically and mechanically dismantle, remove, package, and relocate the capacitors to a staging area prior to disposal.

Contact: Steve Garner, telephone: (803) 796-2727, email: [email protected].

DOC ApprovalThe United States Department of

Commerce (DOC) approved a contract for the JSC Techsnabexport (TENEX), Russia, to supply low enriched uranium (LEU) directly to the American utility Constellation Energy Nuclear Group. The contract, the sixth amongst those concluded between US utilities and TENEX in May-July 2009, provides for the LEU deliveries between 2015 and 2025.

Contact: telephone: 7 495 545 00 45, email: [email protected].

Engineering ContractThe Shaw Group Inc. announced

the Maintenance and Fossil & Nuclear segments of its Power Group and Westinghouse Electric Company have been awarded a new long-term alliance contract with South Carolina Electric & Gas Company (SCE&G) to provide nuclear maintenance, modifi cation, refueling outage and design engineering services to its V.C. Summer Nuclear Station Unit 1, located in Jenkinsville, South Carolina.

The contract is an extension of the relationship established by Shaw and Westinghouse to provide engineering, procurement and construction services for two new AP1000™ nuclear power units, V.C. Summer Units 2 and 3, operated by SCE&G and the South Carolina Public Service Authority (Santee Cooper).

Under the new contract, Shaw will provide maintenance, modifi cation, refueling outage and design engineering services to V.C. Summer Unit 1 immediately and Units 2 and 3 once they are complete. Units 2 and 3 are scheduled for commercial operation dates of 2016 and 2019, respectively.

Contact: Gentry Brann, telephone: (225) 987-7372, email: [email protected]. �






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New Documents

BookNuclear Engineering Handbook,

by Ken Kok. This book provides an introduction to basic nuclear power and nuclear engineering development. After a historical review of nuclear reactors, the book examines current changes in technology and explores future directions. It describes all aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle from mining, milling, and enrichment of uranium and thorium fuel resources, to fuel fabrication, nuclear materials transportation, fuel processing, and waste disposal. ISBN-1420053906, 786 pages. Price: $139.95.

EPRI1. EPRI Yucca Mountain Total System Performance Assessment Code (IMARC) Version 10. Product ID: 1018712, Published June, 2009.

This report summarizes IMARC, Version 10, beginning with an overview of the code, followed by detailed descriptions of individual IMARC components, including linkages, testing, and benchmarking. Major IMARC FEPs are also described, with emphasis on climate change; net infi ltration; focusing of unsaturated zone groundwater fl ow; groundwater percolation into repository drifts; degradation of drip shields, cladding, and waste packages; waste form dissolution; radionuclide transport through the drifts, unsaturated zone, and saturated zone; and multiple exposure pathways in the biosphere.2. Risk-Informed Method to Determine ASME Section XI Appendix G Limits for Ferritic Reactor Pressure Vessels: An Optional Approach Proposed for ASME Section XI Appendix G. Product ID: 1016600, Published June, 2009.

A risk-informed procedure has been developed to defi ne an optional alternative to the current ASME Section XI, Appendix G deterministic method for determining leak test temperature and heat-up and cool-down pressure-temperature limits. This method is simple to understand and implement and remains consistent with the structure of

the current ASME Section XI, Appendix G deterministic methodology.3. BWRVIP-218: BWRVIP Vessel and Internals Project, Alloy X-750 Charac-terization Study. Product ID: 1019070, Published July, 2009.

This report provides a review of the alloy X-750 components, as well as their properties and fabrication methods that are present in operating BWRs. This information is used to evaluate the vari-ability of the materials and to establish a basis from which prototypical alloy X-750 microstructures can be identifi ed and/or manufactured for future testing to accurately assess the performance of this material in BWR environments.4. Hot Cell Examination of Hatch 1 and 2 Fuel Rods. Product ID: 1019314, Published June, 2009.

Two sound GE13 fuel rods were examined in the GE Hitachi Vallecitos Nuclear Center hot cells. The rods—one each from the Hatch 1 and Hatch 2 reactors—were retrieved to characterize their performance over three cycles relative to the presence of thick tenacious crud and a common cladding material lot that experienced corrosion-related failures in Browns Ferry 2, which is documented in EPRI report 1013421.5. Nondestructive Evaluation: Program Description for Performance Demonstra-tion of Pressurized Water Reactor Upper Head Penetration Examination (2009 Update), Product ID: 1019478, Published July, 2009.

The Materials Reliability Program (MRP) has directed the Inspection Issues Task Group (ITG) to establish a qualifi -cation program for the examination of pressurized water reactor (PWR) reactor pressure vessel upper head penetrations. This new qualifi cation program is being implemented to provide the utilities with a consistent and reliable examination ap-proach for the upper head penetrations.6. Nuclear Maintenance Applications Center: Post Trip Voltage Prediction at Nuclear and Other Generating Stations. Product ID: 1018535, Published June, 2009.

The objective of this Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) project is to investigate the possibility of predicting the switchyard voltage in a nuclear power plant (NPP) following a trip of a nuclear unit. Two methods of post-trip voltage prediction are investigated. 7. Program on Technology Innovation: Review of Interaction Between Deforma-tion and Oxidation/Corrosion in Environ-mentally-Assisted Cracking of LWR Ma-terials. Product ID: 1019036, Published August, 2009.

This report provides a comprehensive review of the current state of knowledge of environmentally assisted cracking (EAC) cracking of materials used in light water reactors (LWRs).8. Fuel Reliability Program: GNF PCI Guidelines Support Analyses: BWR Fuel PCI Margin Assessment. Product ID: 1018038, Published August, 2009.

A series of EPRI fuel reliability Guidelines were issued in 2008 in support of INPO’s Zero-by-2010 initiative. For the PCI Guideline (EPRI report 1015453, Dec 2008) development, the fuel vendors, AREVA, GNF, and Westinghouse had provided considerable proprietary infor-mation. This report is a reference report to supplement the PCI Guideline, con-taining details which are unique to GNF fuel.9. Baseline Inspections of Global Nuclear Fuels (GNF) Fuel at Peach Bottom 2. Product ID: 1019101, Published August, 2009. This report summarizes two post-irradiation examination reports of GE-14 fuel operated at the Peach Bottom Unit 2 (PB2)—the plant had been identifi ed as a “High Priority” plant (“Priority #1”) for GE-14 fueled plants and was recommended for inspection prior to the end of 2010.

The above documents may be obtained from EPRI Order and Conference Center, 1300 West WT Harris Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28262; telephone: (800) 313-3774, email: [email protected]. �




Meeting & Training Calendar

1. International Conference on Integrat-ed Radioactive Waste Management in Future Fuel Cycles, October 25-29, 2009, Charleston, South Carolina. Contact: Dirk Gombert, Idaho Na-tional Laboratory, telephone: (208) 526-4624, email: [email protected].

2. International Conference on Oppor-tunities and Challenges for Water-Cooled Nuclear Power Plants in the 21st Century, October 27-30, 2009, Vienna, Austria. Contact: Irina Or-lova, International Atomic Energy Agency, email: [email protected].

3. 6th Canadian Nuclear Society In-ternational Steam Generator Confer-ence, November 8-11, 2009, Hilton Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Contact: Denise Rouben, telephone: (416) 977-7620, email: [email protected].

4. Nuclear Waste: The Challenge of Underground Storage and Disposal, November 9-10, 2009, London, United Kingdom. Contact: Melissa Fuentes, VIB Events, telephone: 44 20 7936 6677, email: [email protected].

5. Conference on Nuclear Power for the People, November 11-14, 2009, Hotel Bolyarski, Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria. Contact: Bulgarian Nuclear Society, telephone: 359 2 979 5472, email: [email protected].

6. 2009 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, November 13-19, 2009, Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Contact: Melissa Torres, telephone: (212) 591-7856, email: [email protected].

7. American Nuclear Society Winter Meeting and Nuclear Technology Expo, November 15-19, 2009, Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, D.C. Contact: Sharon Bohlander, telephone: (800) 250-3678, email: [email protected].

8. “Facility Decommissioning” Training Course, November 16-19, 2009, Tuscany Suites & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada. Contact: Lawrence Boing, Argonne National Laboratory, telephone: (630) 252-6729, email: [email protected].

9. The 2nd Annual Nuclear Power Congress, December 1-2, 2009, Naples, Florida. Contact: Kristy Perkins, American Conference Institute, telephone: (212) 352-3220 ext. 493, email: [email protected].

10. UK Nuclear Supply Chain Summit, December 7-9, 2009, Dexter House, Tower Hill, London, United Kingdom. Contact: IQPC, telephone: 0800 652 2363, email: [email protected].

11. International Conference on Fast Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles: Challenges and Opportunities (FR09), December 7-11, 2009, Kyoto International Conference Center, Kyoto, Japan. Contact: Martina Khaelss, International Atomic Energy Agency, telephone: 43 12600 21315, email: [email protected].

12. Nuclear Power International, December 8-10, 2009, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada. Contact: Libby Smith, PenWell Corp., telephone: (918) 831-9560, email: [email protected].

13. Nuclear Power Asia, January 26-27, 2010, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Contact: Zaf Coelho, Synergy Conference and Exhibitions, telephone: 65 6407 1498, email: [email protected].

14. Nuclear Spent Fuel Academy, February 2-4, 2010, Atlanta, Georgia. Contact: Chris DeLance, NAC International, telephone: (770) 447-1144, email: [email protected].

15. International Conference on Public Information Materials Exchange: De-fi ning Tomorrow’s Vision of Nuclear Energy PIME 2010, February 14-17, 2010, Budapest, Hungary. Contact:

Kirsten Epskamp, European Nucle-ar Society, telephone: 32 2 505 30 54, email: [email protected].

16. Nuclear New Build, March 2-3, 2010, London, United Kingdom. Contact: Robert Hayman, The Nuclear Institute, fax: 020 8695 8229, email: [email protected].

17. Waste Management Symposia WM2010, March 7-11, 2010, Phoenix Convention Center, Phoenix, Arizona. Contact: Mary Young, telephone: (520) 696-0399, email: [email protected].

18. Nuclear Industry, China 2010: The 11th China International Nuclear Industry Exhibition, March 23-26, 2010, Beijing, China. Contact: Lin Yi, Beijing International Exhibition and Economic Relations & Trade Association, Inc., telephone: 0086 10 6526 8150, 65260852, email: [email protected].

19. World Nuclear University School on Radioisotopes, May 15- June 4, 2010, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Contact: John Ritch, telephone: 44 207 451 1520, email: [email protected].

20. European Nuclear Conference, May 30-June 3, 2010, Barcelona, Spain. Contact: European Nuclear Society, telephone: 32 2 505 30 54, fax: 32 2 505 39 02, email: [email protected], website: www.enc2010.org.

21. 2010 American Nuclear Society Topical Meeting and Decommission-ing, Decontamination, & Reutiliza-tion and Technology Expo, August 29-September 2, 2010, Idaho Falls, Idaho. Contact: Teri Ehresman, tele-phone: (208) 526-7785, email: [email protected]. �













Shared Expectations with the LicenseeBy Michael Johnson, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Michael Johnson

Mike Johnson joined the NRC in 1986 and has held increasingly responsible positions including Deputy Division Director in the Offi ce of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, Director of the Offi ce of Enforcement, and Deputy Director of the Offi ce of Research. He began his current position, as Director of the Offi ce of New Reactors in May 2008. He received a B.S. degree in Ocean Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and served in the nuclear submarine force for 7 years.

An interview by Newal Agnihotri, Editor, Nuclear Plant Journal at the Utility Working Conference in Amelia Island, Florida on August 4, 2009.

1. How is the quality of applications being submitted by the utilities? And also, to what extend are they meeting USNRC’s expectations?

We all along have said we want high quality submittals. As a matter of fact, we work with the applicant before we get the application to try to make sure they understand the process, understand what we expect in the application in addition to the written requirements that we have. I would say not all of the applications meet our expectations on quality but we have been able to accept the overwhelming majority of applications that we’ve gotten and we have been able to get, sometimes with additional questions, suffi cient details to be able to set the schedule and begin our reviews. I think it’s going fairly well and we expect the quality of applications will continue to improve and in fact we’re going to work to make sure the quality of applications continue to improve in the future.

2. How many combined operating license applications have been received by USNRC?

Right now I think the count is up to 18 applications for 28 units. We expect a few more to trickle in. But we have a majority of those applications that we thought we were going to get in this fi rst wave.

3. How does NRC comply with Freedom of Information Act in making the plant documents available to the public?

Actually what we have is an electronic system that we call ADAMS (Agency Document and Management System) and you can go into ADAMS and fi nd each of the applications we are

reviewing. You can go electronically and pull up those applications and look through what has been submitted in terms of the application with the exception of portions that aren’t publicly available. But by-and-large those applications are available to the public to review and all you need is access to the internet.

We really rely on making it available electronically.

4. What is the current process of public hearings in the new licensing system?

The process is called a one step process compared to the previous process that was referred to as the two step process. This process works like this, an application is submitted by the applicant, we take it in, we issue a notice that we received that application, we review the application to make sure it’s suffi cient and everything is complete, and then we accept that application. Then we will begin our review. The other thing we do shortly thereafter is publish an opportunity to make the public aware that if they have contentions with respect to an application that there is a process they can go through to raise those contentions. Then we have the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board that will review those contentions as we review the application. We complete our review of the application, and if there

are contentions those get dealt with by the licensing board. If there are no contentions at the end of the process there is a mandatory hearing. Following that we issue the license and that is authority for the licensee at that point to build a plant.

5. How does NRC ensure that the plant has been constructed in accordance with the design which was submitted to the NRC and approved by NRC during the combined operating license application?

If we fi nd that the licensee built the plant in accordance with the license by inspecting things called Inspections, Tests, Analyses & Acceptance Criteria (ITAAC) we’ll check those off, we’ll agree that they’re fi nished. The process is very disciplined. The opportunity for public intervention happens before the licensing, once we are into construction there isn’t any additional chance for contending that an ITAAC wasn’t met. What we’ve done is provide ample opportunity early in the process for the public to be comfortable and to have their issues addressed before the licensing decision. It is a much more tight rigorous process up front; same opportunity for public intervention but much more predictable than the previous two step process.



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There are specifi c criteria that the licensee has to meet. I think AP1000 has roughly 800 or 900 ITAAC. Every one of those ITAAC has to be certifi ed by the licensee as met. We’ll review them, and about 35% we will actually inspect that they have been met. When the Commission fi nds that they are met then the licensee can load fuel and begin operating the plant.

The AP1000 is going to contain modules and some of the ITAAC relate to the modular construction, so one of the things we’re going to do is actually go to where those modules are going to be constructed to make sure that again if there is an ITAAC that relates to that module then in fact the applicant has to make sure that we know that they satisfi ed that aspect, that the piece of the ITAAC is being satisfi ed and we have to make sure that it’s being satisfi ed so that when that module is brought to the site and loaded in we’re comfortable. It’s the responsibility of the licensee to make sure every one of those ITAAC are met. We are in a role of reviewing. Those things have to be met to ensure that the plant that is sitting there at the end of construction matches the design of what we approved.

6. How does NRC communicate with the applicant ensuring that the applicant understands NRC’s expectations?

We’ve done a lot to share expectations with the applicants. We have something called a Standard Review Plan which is what our reviewers use to review the submittal. We’ve revised that and we share that so that applicants know what we’re going to be looking at when we review their application. We’ve issued a regulatory guide which describes the form and content of what that application has to look like. So now we’ve told them what the application should look like, and we told them what we’re going to use to review their application and they have all of that information before they submit the application. So that’s one example of sharing the expectations. In addition

to that, in pre-application, before they even submit the application we meet with them. We make sure that they don’t have any questions, and we provide lots of opportunities to them so they understand what the application needs to look like before they send it.

7. How does USNRC communicate with the licensee indicating their schedule expectation so that the review proceeds in a timely manner?

With respect to the schedule, once we have their application and we look through their application in detail and decide to accept it, we’ll then decide how long it’s going to take us to go through the review to get to the point where we can issue the license. If they have a really complete application and if they don’t try anything exotic then that’s an application that’s predictable and that’s a review that will be shorter. If they have an application where they want to try a new analysis that we, haven’t approved of, or they want to try a new design that we haven’t seen, there will have to be some additional testing and analysis on their part, and review on our part. Then the application begins to take a little bit longer in terms of the schedule.

Whatever it will take, we share that schedule with them, we talk about the schedule before we issue it, we share that schedule in detail, and we make that schedule publicly available. That schedule exists in what we call an Enterprise Project Management system and we use that schedule for all of our reviewers to be able to schedule their time in reviewing the applications. We’ve scheduled reviewers’ times on specifi c aspects of that application. So, for example, let’s suppose we review a section of the application that relates to the balance of plant, we then have questions we want to ask. We have a schedule that says if we’re going to ask questions we’re going to ask them at this time frame and we’re going to assume that the applicants take this much time to get back to us. If it’s

going to take longer you need to let us know because we’re not just reviewing your application, we’re reviewing other applications. That schedule really is an agreement between us and the applicant about how we’re going to proceed through the review of that application. So that’s another example of how we try to make sure that there are shared expectations.

The detailed schedule has major milestones, for example for the fi rst plant-- the reference combined operating license plant has a six phase review. Phase two for example is that we will complete the safety evaluation report with open items, that is we’ll write as much as we can and where we have open items we will spell out what those open items are. There is a date associated with that draft for all the chapters we are reviewing. We then take that to phase three where we take all of those chapters to our Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards and they’ll review it and give us comments on it. The last phase is the issuance of the fi nal safety evaluation report. That’s all publicly available, it’s agreed upon in advance with the applicant and we have expectations for us and we have expectations for their response times.

If you go to www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/col.html, you can go to a specifi c plant and fi nd the review schedule that we have issued to them.

8. What is the work force working in reviewing the current license applications?

We have approximately 500 people working in the new reactor area, including managers and staff. Not all of them are in my offi ce, but a majority of them are. We also have attorneys.

Contact: Donna Williams, US NRC, 11545 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852; telephone (301) 415-1322, fax (301) 415-6323, email: [email protected]. �

Shared Expectations...Continued from page 20





Improved Cost & Schedule

By Christofer M. Mowry, Babcock & Wilcox Modular Nuclear Energy, LLC. Christofer M. Mowry

Christofer M. Mowry is the President and Chief Executive Offi cer of Babcock & Wilcox Modular Nuclear Energy, LLC. In this role, Mr. Mowry is leading the development, licensing and delivery of B&W mPower(tm) nuclear power plants.

Christofer holds a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He also earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and a Bachelor of Arts in Astronomy from Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. He holds four U.S. patents related to digital control systems.

Responses to questions by Newal Agnihotri, Editor of Nuclear Plant Journal.

1. Please provide the status of B&W’s efforts in licensing its mPower.

B&W notifi ed the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in April 2009 of our intent to submit an application for design certifi cation of our new B&W mPower™ modular nuclear reactor. We have now begun licensing activities with the NRC, with the fi rst public pre-application meeting having been held on July 7, 2009. B&W intends to submit our Design Certifi cation Application (DCA) in early 2012. In parallel with the NRC review of our design, we anticipate engaging a lead plant customer by 2011, when we are in the fi nal phase of the reactor design program. A combined operating license application (COLA) would be submitted to the NRC as early as 2012. That would support construction of a plant starting in 2015. This schedule could then potentially bring the fi rst B&W mPower reactor online in 2018 or 2019.

Clearly, everyone involved in nuclear power understands that timely regulatory approval is critical to the success of commercial power projects, and we believe B&W has two critical advantages that will help us through the licensing process. First, we have had exceptional and early interest from utilities, which has provided signifi cant credibility to our program. This interest stems from B&W’s demonstrated ability to design, license, manufacture, and construct nuclear reactors. We have the only operational manufacturing facilities in North America for heavy nuclear components and pressure vessels, a unique set of assets that provides industry with the assurance that we can deliver a modular nuclear reactor in the near term.

2. Which utilities internationally have expressed interest in mPower plants? Please include any alliances already established with International utilities.

Over the past year we have been in discussions with numerous U.S. and international utilities about the ability of the B&W mPower reactor design to address their needs, and there is broad customer interest in our solution. Many of these utilities serve on our Industry Advisory Council, which is giving us solid guidance as our reactor development work continues. In addition to the domestic U.S. utilities who sit on our Council, we have the European utility Vattenfall and the Canadian-based Bruce Power participating. They provide us with a global perspective on the application of nuclear energy for commercial power generation and ensure that our design broadly envelopes a wide range of functional and licensing requirements.

3. What modular construction techniques or other advanced construction techniques are used in B&W’s mPower plants?

The B&W mPower reactor is funda-mentally modular in a way that is differ-ent from other attempts to modularize the construction of more traditional large nu-clear reactors. The entire B&W mPower nuclear steam supply system (NSSS) is manufactured as an integral module

within one pressure vessel in our exist-ing facilities across North America. We have a very short, vertically integrated supply chain for this NSSS module, one that gives us signifi cant cost and quality advantages over the traditional approach to constructing the nuclear island at the plant site. In fact, the only signifi cant elements of the module that B&W will probably not manufacture itself are the internal pumps and the forgings. This is a very limited external supply chain, and one that we still would like to keep Amer-ican. In addition to the B&W mPower re-actor NSSS module, we also plan to have the turbine generator manufactured as a complete module and shipped to the plant site, ready for installation. As such, we view the B&W mPower nuclear plant construction process more like that of a combined-cycle gas turbine power plant than a traditional commercial nuclear plant. This modular approach, with its signifi cant use of factory assembled sys-tems, allows us to provide customers with the improved project cost and schedule certainty that they need to proceed with new build projects.

4. Are there any safety features built into B&W mPower to address post 9/11 safety issues?



The most signifi cant new security feature is that the entire nuclear island, including the reactor, containment, and engineered safeguards, is located below ground level. This underground nuclear island design approach mitigates against the potential risks from external threats and has many technical and cost

advantages in meeting the NRC’s new airplane impact rule. In addition, all used fuel from the reactor is stored within the underground containment, making the facility more secure against potential security threats.

5. Please describe briefl y key design features of B&W mPower.

The B&W mPower reactor will be a passively safe advanced light water reac-tor (ALWR). This ALWR embraces the best features of today’s proven nuclear designs, integrating them into a single, self-contained reactor module. As a re-sult, we believe the B&W mPower re-actor should be considered Generation III ++ nuclear technology, a technology that embraces the most reliable, most ef-fi cient, and most practical elements of

already-demonstrated capabilities with-out expanding into untested fourth gen-eration concepts.

More specifi cally, the passively safe light water reactor design and robust reactor operating margins should minimize NRC certifi cation challenges by conforming to existing licensing protocol. Use of conventional fuel, reactor coolant, and power conversion equipment contributes to reliable, effi cient plant operations by building on today’s exceptional light water reactor industry operating experience.

The scalable nature of the B&W mPower reactor will provide customers with practical, meaningful 125 megawatt power increments, an approach designed to meet local energy needs within existing transmission and site constraints. A nuclear plant built with our reactor modules can be constructed sequentially, an approach that should promote better coordination with evolving regional energy demands and improve overall project fi nancial performance.

There are many other technical in-novations that we believe will lower risk, lower cost, and enhance nuclear security. Among them, the fi ve-year operating cycle between refueling outages, the pro-tected underground containment that can store spent fuel throughout the planned 60-year plant life, and the use of standard

low-enriched uranium (<5%) that is cur-rently in use with all operating Light Wa-ter Reactors in the United States. Equally important, by avoiding the use of water-cooled condensers, by building the con-tainment underground, and by creating a reduced site footprint, the B&W mPower reactor design philosophy helps minimize the environmental impact of new power generation.

6. Do NSSS vendors in the current day and age have more licensing, design, and construction responsibility than the vendors in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s?

In many respects, yes they do. The new licensing approach in the U.S. starts with the certifi cation of a standard nuclear reactor design. In principle, this is solely the responsibility of the NSSS vendor and is an activity that is independent of any particular utility sponsored construction program. Once the NSSS vendor has a certifi ed design, nuclear operating companies are looking for that vendor to step forward with a more turnkey, fi rm priced offering that shifts the burden of project execution excellence more strongly toward the vendor. We believe this is a permanent shift in market dynamics, and our B&W mPower reactor is well suited for turnkey type projects with its factory manufactured systems and modular design that enhances cost certainty and reduce project schedules.

7. How is construction of B&W mPower fi nanced in the United States and in other countries worldwide?

Construction of nuclear power plants around the world is fi nanced using a vari-ety of mechanisms, including direct util-ity investment, fi nancial institution lend-ing, government loan guarantees, and di-rect government subsidies. One or more of these methods could be used to fi nance construction of a B&W mPower reactor, depending on the customer’s location and ownership structure. Interestingly, one reason we see the B&W mPower reac-tor as a potential “game-changer” for the commercial nuclear power industry is its ability to mitigate project fi nancing chal-lenges, particularly for small and medi-um-size utilities. In today’s fi nancial environment the cost of a large nuclear power project is more than the entire market capitalization of all but the larg-est utilities. The B&W mPower reactor,

Improved Cost...Continued from page 23

Four B&W mPower(tm) nuclear reactors confi gured as a 500 megawatt nuclear power plant



with its scalable modular design, brings with it inherently improved project cash fl ow and a fl exible plant size that can be increased in 125 megawatt increments. Additional reactor modules at a plant site can be deployed to coincide with chang-ing regional energy demands and there-fore soften project capital requirements.

We view the B&W mPower reactor in many ways as the nuclear power solution for the common man. It will be practical and affordable, as well as safe and reliable – not just for the large nuclear operating companies, but also for the broader global energy market.

8. Does B&W plan to form EPC alliances for constructing mPower plants in the United States or in other countries?

B&W is still early in the process of developing our project construction approach, so we’re looking at all the possibilities, including forming alliances. We haven’t made any fi rm decisions on how we will proceed with this aspect of the program.

9. Do new countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia consider mPower due to their limited grid capability?

The ability to provide fl exible, scal-able nuclear generation is a key advan-tage for our B&W mPower reactor. We can size the B&W mPower reactor nu-clear plant to match local constraints on transmission grid capacity and electri-cal demand. Typically any single power plant should not supply more than about 10 percent of a transmission grid’s total electrical load to ensure good system re-liability. For developing countries with limited grid capacity and electrical loads, nuclear plants in the 250-500 MWe size range may be most appropriate consider-ing this constraint. Since B&W mPower reactor modules can be added in 125 MWe increments, nuclear plant generat-ing capacity can also grow as the electri-cal load increases.

10. What are your plans for promoting B&W’s mPower plants in China, India and any other countries?

The B&W mPower reactor has al-ready demonstrated diverse, global ap-peal. Our plans are to focus fi rst on get-ting U.S. NRC design certifi cation and securing a lead plant customer using the NRC licensing framework. However, we expect that the business will grow quickly

across other regions of the world, includ-ing both developed nuclear markets such as Europe and Canada, as well as emerg-ing markets. Clearly, India is an attrac-tive future market given its huge demand for new power generation and the stated desire for nuclear to provide a signifi cant fraction of the overall energy supply. But we also see this reactor having appeal in other developing regions where clean, reliable power generation is in demand. The Middle East is one such area where we believe that the B&W mPower reac-tor, for all the reasons we have been dis-cussing, will be in strong demand. I’ve talked to utilities, industry experts, gov-ernment offi cials and journalists all over the world since we publicly introduced our B&W mPower reactor program in June, 2009. We’ve gotten a tremendous level of interest no matter where we’ve been. This reactor hits the sweet spot for power generation needs in many, many areas around the globe.

Contact: Michael E. Shepherd, Babcock & Wilcox Modular Nuclear Energy, LLC, 800 Main Street, Lynchburg, VA 24504; telephone: (434) 522-5163, email: [email protected]. �

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Committed to Safety & Quality

By Mike McMahon, Day & Zimmermann Power Services.

Mike McMahonMike McMahon is president, Power Services, for Day & Zimmermann, a provider of diversifi ed services and products, headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Power Services group, which McMahon oversees, includes all maintenance and modifi cation operations and related specialty services provided through the Day & Zimmermann NPS ® and DZ Atlantic businesses. McMahon holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Drexel University and has completed graduate coursework at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.


1. How does Day & Zimmermann ensure optimal radiation protection, ensuring the safety of its workers during its projects?

Safety is fi rst and foremost in everyone’s mind as they accomplish various projects. Day & Zimmermann Power’s Safety program centers on the Construction Industry Institute's (CII) Five Pillars Program, which is a program of values, best practices, culture, and commitment that establishes an attainable goal of zero injuries, based on the belief that all safety incidents are preventable. The fi ve pillars are safety planning, training and orientation, fi tness for duty programs, safety recognition, and incident reporting and investigation directed at an uncompromising intolerance for “at-risk” behaviors.

Optimal radiation protection is ensured fi rst by following and coordinating with the owner’s ALARA and radiation protection programs and procedures.

Prior to beginning work on a site, it is important to prepare site and project specifi c safety plans and implement dose estimate planning and prejob briefi ngs. There should be health physics training and clearly established expectations for all workers, centering on fi tness for duty and the qualifi cations to perform the work.

During work on a project, recognized human performance tools such as two-minute reviews (a commonly practiced integrated safety management and human performance error prevention tool where a worker or group of workers takes two minutes to stop when arriving at the job site where a task is be performed, to ensure conditions have not changed from the pre-job brief, hazards have been mitigated, the correct component has been identifi ed and each worker fully understands their

individual and collective responsibilities), peer checking, and mock-ups should be used. Observation programs, both direct and remote, should be instituted. Tracking and monitoring of exposure is important for possible corrective action.

2. What planning is undertaken by Day & Zimmermann before it commences its maintenance or refueling outage tasks?

Standard practices prior to beginning work on maintenance or refueling tasks include developing work plans and train-ing orientations and developing safety plans specifi c to the outage.

In addition, we perform estimates and develop and maintain cost control activities, cost tracking, and cost reporting. Scheduling and resource loading, including developing ramp up and ramp down histograms that support the work scope and budget must be completed. Finally, we perform independent outage readiness assessments.

Overall planning occurs over an eighteen month cycle and follows the T-Minus regimen beginning at T-12 months. The T-12 regimen is the planning activity used by nuclear facilities that specifi es the scheduled and required actions and milestones leading up to the start of a refueling outage at a nuclear

power plant. As the beginning of the outage draws near, the efforts center on pre-outage supervisors who are ideally assigned to the site approximately six (6) to ten (10) weeks prior to the arrival of the larger number of project staff and craft necessary for execution. This group ensures the work crews will have an effi cient and identifi ed path to accomplish the various outage scopes and that there is clear line of sight on industrial and radiological safety goals, work process effi ciency, and that the necessary human performance tools are in place to address the assigned scope of work. The pre-outage atmosphere established by these supervisors for their work crews also defi nes the questioning attitude that the crews will embrace during the outage.

The specifi city and intensity of these standard practices increase to include establishing work facilities such that the group will have required equipment, materials, and facilities to perform their scheduled work.

There must be a full review of project scope, starting with a review of individual work packages for work required to ensure steps support the identifi ed task.

Technical documentation provided in work packages must be reviewed for completeness, appropriate components and models.



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A walk down of worksites for each package determines whether work can be performed safely and to plan. This includes a variety of tasks such as identifying the need for scaffold, insulation, temporary power and light, rigging services needed, identifying heavy loads and safety related load paths, Foreign Material Exclusion (FME) controls, equipment isolation requirements, confi ned space entries, heat stress management, chemical use planning, lay down areas in the power block, other work scheduled in the area, and accessibility of components.

Supervisors have the responsibility for ensuring the worksite begins with and maintains a safe working and housekeeping environment during the maintenance period. Additionally, they must establish the proper mental atmosphere to maintain a questioning attitude and instill that attitude in all of their work crews.

Requirement for support equipment, diagnostic equipment, or special tools to perform repairs must be determined, as well as special requirements for interface with other groups for inspections or documentation. This would include points of contact and schedules.

Redundant or duplicated work tasks should be identifi ed in order to optimize work scheduling. Identifi cation of required parts and their status as to procurement, QA acceptance (if appropriate) and staging must be completed.

Prior to any work beginning, we es-tablish skill requirements and training needed to perform all documented work within the scope. These requirements result in identifi cation of the specifi c technical qualifi cations for each group of workers, and the necessary additional training to meet all generic and unique requirements imposed by the work scope. Supervisors can then coordinate with the training resources to establish qualifi ca-tion requirements and schedule necessary training events.

Work must be scheduled so that resource requirements support outage windows and the timeframe allowed.

Level loading of resources can soften peaks and determine the appropriate hiring and release dates to support schedule. Resource cost estimates identify conformance or impact on the assigned budget. All work schedules and resource ramp plans should then be bound to the requirements of 10CFR26 “Fatigue Rule” limits.

3. How does Day & Zimmermann ensure the quality of its maintenance tasks during normal plant operation and during refueling outage?

Day & Zimmermann Power does not typically coordinate preventative maintenance tasks during normal plant operation. We are usually providing maintenance and modifi cation services. Principle actions are safety planning and adherence, modifi cation and construction oversight, establishing clear expectations for supervisory oversight, high quality workmanship, and verbatim procedural adherence. Day & Zimmermann Power’s senior management and project managers have a weekly conference call that allows the sharing of best practices and lessons learned from our experience around the country and the updating of the database we maintain for future reference.

Specialty services provided by Day & Zimmermann Power such as its Valve Division are almost entirely focused on refueling outages. Here again, the quality of the work relies on a questioning attitude by both the individual worker and the supervisors. Push back on work package elements or items of inconsistency are encouraged. The highlighting of industry “best practices” and bringing them to the attention of the utility/supervision has always been a method of ensuring quality and effi ciency in worker performance.

4. How does Day & Zimmermann train its staff (crafts and engineering) for its maintenance and refueling outage projects?

Training is largely dependent on work scope and comes in many varieties, including Day & Zimmermann Power’s internal technical and safety training programs; special journeyman training (welding, electrical, valve, etc.) developed with owners, trade school, and local com-munity colleges; union apprentice train-ing; off and on-site mock-up training, and

just-in-time efforts. The core elements of this program are ‘Just in Time’ training of supervisors, fostering a safety-conscious work environment (SCWE), human per-formance, basic supervisory skills, and supervisor safety expectations.

’Just in Time’ training of supervision (foremen and above) is conducted on-site prior to an outage evolution, approximately one to two weeks prior to the outage/orientation efforts.

Human Performance training is behavior-based and focuses on error detection and prevention tools, managing defenses, handling employee concerns properly, and protected activity and retaliation.

Basic Supervisory Skills training teaches effective communication, how to motivate employees, handling perfor-mance problems, importance of good documentation, and handling harassment and sensitivity issues.

5. What organizational efforts are implemented to ensure that the plant is returned to normal operation within the allotted time it’s scheduled for refueling outage?

Day & Zimmermann Power believes ensuring a return to normal operations requires defi nitive buy-in and insistence that safety plus quality will equal productivity (S+Q = P).

This commitment is executed by preparing a good plan; ensuring proper resource loading, availability of materials, etc.; monitoring productivity through the schedule and establishing contingency plans.

Day & Zimmermann Power’s organizational efforts have also included the development and digitization of web-based tools for safety, outage planning, and project management for the past three years that allow a constant “scorecard” on these efforts, facilitating coordination between the owner and the outage contractor.

6. What guidelines, industry standard, and regulation are followed by Day & Zimmermann to ensure safe and effi cient maintenance and refueling outage of its projects?

To ensure safe and effi cient maintenance and refueling activities Day & Zimmermann Power adheres to and is

Committed to...Continued from page 26



in compliance with industry standards imposed upon nuclear utility licensees. These include the applicable sections of the American Society of Mechanical Engineer Codes, Sections III, V, IX, and X. Applicable ASME/ANSI Standards including, but not necessarily limited to ANSI 18.1, ANSI 3.1, and N45.2.6 assist to ensure the qualifi cation of personnel.

ASME Section III – Rules for Construction of Nuclear Power Plant Components

ASME Section V – Nondestructive Examination

ASME Section IX – Welding and Brazing Qualifi cations

ASME Section XI – Rules for In-service inspection of Nuclear Power Plant Components

ANSI N18.1, 1971 – “Selection and Training of Nuclear Power Plant Personnel”

ANSI/ASME N45.2.6, 1978 – “Qualifi cation of Inspection, Examination and Testing Personnel for Nuclear Power Plants”

ANSI/ANS- 3.1 – “American National Standard for Selection, Qualifi cation and Training of Personnel for Nuclear Power Plants”

Day & Zimmermann Power’s Quality Assurance Program is written to meet the requirements of the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 10, Part 50, Appendix B with supporting daughter standards. The program is regularly audited internally and by Nuclear Procurement Issues Committee (NUPIC) teams to ensure compliance to requirements.

Day & Zimmermann’s internal guidelines includes its in-house PET (Project Execution Tool) program, peer reviews, readiness assessments, the Construction Industry Institute’s Zero Injury program in conjunction with our internal web-based ESH tool (Environmental, Safety, Health), and consistent reviews of best practices and lessons learned efforts.

7. Typically how many months before the refueling outage does Day & Zim-mermann start planning to ensure crew training?

The planning for some work scopes usually follows a range of six (6) to twelve (12) months.

Many specialty areas do not have a continuous on-site presence. Training assessments for these areas center on the project group brought to site prior to the outage. This varies from contract to contract and plant to plant but allows an assessment of training required. A plan is developed that balances the work scope requirements against the qualifi cations currently to identify gaps. Day & Zimmermann Power employs various training regimens to deal with any disparities.

As an ongoing solution Day & Zim-mermann Power continues its work with the EPRI Standardized Task Evaluation group to establish portable qualifi ca-tions which meet the need of the utilities. Many of our workers are already quali-fi ed in this area. We are working with utilities and providing training and skill evaluation at the sites both prior to the outages and as an ongoing program for non-outage periods.


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8. How does Day & Zimmermann ensure that the maintenance and outage man-agement staff and supervisors complete the maintenance and outage experience critique documents after the maintenance and refueling outages are completed for future reference?

Specifi c activities with maintenance and outage management staff and super-visors include conducting exit interviews and written suggestions for improvement, real-time documented delay/impact forms support, help recording issues for best practices and lessons learned, structured post-outage self-assessments noting is-sues encountered during the outage, and an on-going commitment to the resultant corrective actions going forward. Day & Zimmermann Power also makes signifi -cant use of pre and post-outage assess-ment and challenge teams.

Additionally, Day & Zimmermann uses an internal planning system called “blueprinting” for all its professional contingency talent. The process allows these individuals to plan their outage schedules for as much as twelve to eighteen months in advance. This process produces a high return rate of these professionals for future outages and their understanding of the processes and value of critique documents and other business practices important to the nuclear industry.

All processes and procedures are monitored and revised as necessary in order to maintain compliance with the dynamic environment of the nuclear industry.

9. Is Day & Zimmermann considering modular construction (fabrication) to support the new nuclear power plant construction?

Day & Zimmermann Power’s recent acquisition and major renovations to fa-cilities in Moss Point, Mississippi have created a 20 acre, 190,000 square foot

site that is capable of substantial modular assembly/construction, fabrication, and machining services for all but the largest pressure vessels involved in new nuclear power plant construction. Day & Zim-mermann Power is proceeding with “N” and “NPT” stamp accreditation at the urging of customers and original equip-ment manufacturers (OEM’s). The facil-ity’s production and quality processes are already in compliance with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors in support of our “R”, “S”, and “U” code stamps for any non-nuclear construction that will apply to this market. The facility’s ISO 9001:2000 accreditation is eminent.

Contact: Mike McMahon, Day & Zimmermann Power Services, 1866 Colonial Village Lane, Suite 101, Lancaster, PA 17601; telephone: (717) 481-5600, email: [email protected]. �

Committed to...Continued from page 29

Corporate Capabilities Section 2010

Discounts do not apply to the Corporate Capabilities Section.

For more information, please contact:

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www.NuclearPlantJournal.com

Corporate Capabilities SectionOrganizations have an opportunity to list their products and services in the Corporate Capabilities section. In last year’s Directory, about 120 organizations listed their products and services in the Corporate Capability section.

FeaturesThis section includes a comprehensive listing of an organization’s featured products and services in one central location. Each listing in the Corporate Capabilities section will include the supplier’s contact information (name, mailing address, phone and fax numbers, e-mail and web site addresses). The company logo (black and white or color) may also be included with the contact information at an additional cost.

Corporate Capability Listing CostThere will be $35 fl at fee plus an additional cost of $7.50 per product or service included in the Corporate Capabilities section. The supplier contact information will be included with the Corporate Capabilities listing at no additional cost.

Logo Cost & Specifi cationsThe company logo may be used to enhance the Corporate Capabilities listing for an additional cost (per logo) of:black & white .............................. $2002-color logo ................................... $5004-color logo ................................... $850The logo must be smaller than 2" wide by 1" deep and may be submitted electronically.

Nuclear Plant Journal's Product & Service Directory 2010

The NPJ Product & Service Directory provides the most current industry information every year.





Solving Equipment Reliability IssuesBy Craig Irish, Nuclear Logistics, Inc. Craig Irish

Mr. Irish is the Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Nuclear Logistics, Inc. (NLI). Joining the company 15 years ago when there were only 15 employees, Mr. Irish has been instrumental in the company’s growth, which now includes over 130 employees and approximately 35 vendor partner companies. With a B.S. in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Lowell, he started his career in the Navy, going on to expand his capabilities within the corporate environs of National Technical Systems (NTS); he continues to expand his considerable nuclear expertise with NLI. Mr. Irish has over 20 years of extensive experience with material certifi cation, dedication, qualifi cation and custom manufacturing within the industry.


1. What is Nuclear Logistics Inc.’s contribution in digital upgrade at nuclear power plants?

NLI is a leader in the nuclear industry in regards to performing upgrades of commercially available digital equipment for safety-related use within NPPs. We have extensive experience with upgrading many different digital equipment types including trip units, chiller controls, timing relays, PLC’s (programmable logic controller), bargraph indicators, fl ow meters, excitation equipment, temperature controllers, VFD’s (variable frequency drive) and many more.

All digital upgrades are in accordance with IEEE Std 7-4.3.2 “IEEE Standard Criteria for Digital Computers in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Generating Stations”; EPRI TR-102348 (NEI 01-01) “Guidelines for Licensing of Digital Upgrades” Revision 1; EPRI TR-106439 “Guidelines on Evaluation and Acceptance of Commercial Grade Digital Equipment for Nuclear Safety Applications”; ASME NQA-2a-1990, Part 2.7 and NRC Regulatory Issue Summary 2002-22.

The software Verifi cation and Validation (V&V) of digital equipment includes all activities associated with upgrading digital equipment including seismic testing, environmental analysis, EMI/RFI testing, software assurance, Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), dedication, etc.

2. Does Nuclear Logistics Inc. maintain spare part stock inventory? Describe the equipment, and instrument categories for which these parts are maintained.

One of NLI’s largest service areas is the design, manufacture, qualifi cation and supply of replacement motor control center (MCC) cubicles. As a

result of supplying thousands of these replacement cubicles, NLI stocks all the necessary components at our Fort Worth, Texas corporate offi ce, which allows for expedited delivery of replacement components in the event emergent needs develop. NLI also maintains an extensive inventory of frequently purchased products such as power supplies, replacement C&D Technologies battery charger circuit boards, and PCP (Power Conversion Products) circuit boards. All components are stocked in accordance with the NLI 10CFR50 Appendix B, 10CFR21 and ASME NQA-1 Quality Assurance Program. Most items are stocked to ANSI N45.2.2 (“Packaging, Shipping, Receiving, Storage and Handling of Items for Nuclear Power Plants”) Level B requirements, except for circuit boards which are stored to Level A requirements.

3. What is Nuclear Logistics Inc.’s role in supporting the new nuclear power plant design, licensing, and construction?

NLI is actively involved in the design, fabrication, qualifi cation and supply of equipment unique to new nuclear plant construction. We have been supporting new construction in Taiwan and Korea for many years; this experience—in combination with whole system change-outs in the domestic nuclear fl eet—has refi ned our capabilities and expertise to the extent that we have become an OEM of many different equipment types.

We take on full responsibility for the design, fabrication, qualifi cation and supply of the equipment to meet our clients’ unique requirements. To that end, NLI will be supporting new U.S. nuclear plant construction in many different equipment areas including Standby Power (batteries, battery racks, DC switchgear, MCCs, battery chargers and UPS equipment), Electrical Distribution (LV and MV switchgear, MCCs, distribution panels, and transformers), HVAC

(chillers, A/C units, air-handlers, cooling coils, fans, and fi ltration units), ASME Section III Equipment (valves, pumps, tanks and vessels, and heat exchangers), and Instrumentation (level and fl ow meters, power supplies, PLCs, paperless recorders and meters/gauges).

4. What incentives are provided by Nuclear Logistics Inc. to organizations who have stopped manufacturing a certain equipment or instrument to reconsider reviving the production in view of the new nuclear power plant industry?

NLI partners with many different companies who have stopped manufacturing a certain product line or have left the nuclear industry altogether. In order to keep supplying needed equipment to the nuclear industry, we use different business models to develop acceptable solutions with each individual manufacturer. These models may include NLI acquiring the design



and manufacturing right to the equipment so that we can manufacture and supply the equipment to the nuclear industry, or, we will work with the original manufacturer but assume all engineering, quality assurance and qualifi cation responsibilities.

These options—or any combination thereof—gives NLI the license to supply the nuclear industry with equipment which is still needed, while allowing manufacturers to sell their equipment commercially without worrying about issues that are nuclear-specifi c, such as qualifi cation, quality assurance, dedication and documentation: NLI takes all the responsibility for these requirements and procedures.

5. How do you certify your suppliers for safety related equipment?

NLI certifi es our suppliers in accordance with the NLI 10CFR50

Appendix B, 10CFR21 and ASME NQA-1 Quality Assurance Program. Methods 2 “Commercial Survey”, and 3 “Source Surveillance”, of EPRI NP-5652 are used to control commercial grade suppliers.

Our suppliers are audited on various frequencies depending on the complexity of the product being supplied. For example, harsh environment qualifi ed components are audited more frequently to monitor material changes which could adversely affect the original qualifi cation in accordance with IEEE Std. 323. Another example is digital equipment, which requires strict audit frequency to verify no hardware or software changes have been made which would adversely affect the original Software V&V.

6. What is Nuclear Logistics Inc.’s most challenging job in meeting a utility re-quirement in the last 18 years?

NLI specializes in solving our clients’ most diffi cult equipment reliability issues by supplying new replacement equipment or performing refurbishment aimed at increasing reliability. As mentioned earlier, examples of complex equipment we provide include 125VDC batteries, low and medium voltage replacement breakers, digital equipment, ASME Section III equipment, MCC cubicle replacements, chillers, and many other equipment types.

An example of one project which involved a signifi cant amount of engineering, fabrication and testing would be a recent project that consisted of replacing analog controls on a chiller with digital controls, which included a digital controller, new sensors, cabling, seismic mounting brackets and ASME Section III thermowells. Extensive engineering was required to design the replacements, which also required increased reliability as well as enhanced control and monitoring capabilities per client specifi cations. Using a mock-up chiller at our Fort Worth facility, we

installed the new digital controls and then performed exhaustive testing to prove the design. Once the design was complete the new control system was qualifi ed in accordance with IEEE Std. 323 (mild environment), IEEE Std. 344 (seismic), EPRI TR-102323 (EMI/RFI) and IEEE Std. 7-4.3.2 (Software V&V). Detailed dedication testing was then performed in accordance with Method 1, 2 and 3 of EPRI NP-5652. Finally, the new digital control system was installed during a seven-day Limited Condition of Operation (LCO).

The project required all facets of our experience and expertise, including innovative design, detailed engineering, comprehensive production testing and detailed quality assurance.

7. Does Nuclear Logistics Inc. have alliances in non U.S. countries in order to deploy its services at a short notice? If so, please give the names of the organizations supporting Nuclear Logistics Inc. in non U.S. countries.

NLI has approximately 35 teaming relationships with various manufacturers of non-competing product lines across all equipment types; more partnerships are currently on the table, as we look to provide a comprehensive line of products and services to the nuclear industry. We’ve formed teaming relationships with respected companies such as Square-D Services (global), GNB (US-based), Krohne (Germany and France), Trane (global), and Standard Alloys (US-based), which allow for the supply of various equipment lines. Service is provided from international or domestic locations with support from the NLI corporate offi ce as required.

Contact: Craig Irish, Nuclear Logistics, Inc., 7450 Whitehall Street, Fort Worth, TX 76118; telephone: (978) 250-1684, fax: (978) 250-0245, email: [email protected]. �

Solving Equipment...Continued from page 31

January-FebruaryInternational Trade & Waste & Fuel Management IssueMarch-AprilPlant Maintenance & Plant Life Extension IssueMay-JuneOutage Mgmt. & Health Physics IssueJuly-AugustNew Plants & Vendor Advertorial IssueSeptember-OctoberPlant Maintenance & Advanced Reactors IssueNovember-December Annual Product & Service Directory Issue

AnnualEditorialSchedule


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Benefi ting from Standardization

By George Vanderheyden, UniStar Nuclear Energy.

George VanderheydenAs President and Chief Executive Offi cer of UniStar Nuclear Energy (UNE) George Vanderheyden is responsible for leading UNE’s efforts to develop and deploy the fi rst new generation of nuclear power plants in North America in more than 30 years.

Mr. Vanderheyden also serves as Senior Vice President, Constellation Energy Nuclear Group, overseeing Constellation’s new nuclear interests, and President of UniStar Nuclear, LLC, a joint venture with AREVA, NP, to market a version of AREVA’s EPR (evolutionary power reactor) technology, adapted specifi cally for the U.S. He joined Constellation Energy in 2003 as Constellation Generation Group’s Vice President of Asset Optimization. Within a few months, he became Vice President at Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant. Mr. Vanderheyden holds a bachelor’s degree from Northern Illinois University in nuclear engineering technology. He is a member of the Engineering / Engineering Technology / Electronics Programs Advisory Council for the College of Southern Maryland, and a Board Member for the USS Constellation Museum. He was a member of IBEW Local 15 for fi ve years.

An interview by Newal Agnihotri, Editor, Nuclear Plant Journal at the Utility Working Conference in Amelia Island, Florida on August 4, 2009.

1. Is supply chain for EPR™ a challenge for UniStar?

UniStar’s fl eet model was designed to address some of those issues, and it is quite different from what other people have been doing and pursuing in nuclear. UniStar has a four unit model which we identifi ed from the very beginning as key for establishing the economies of scale necessary to pursue new nuclear in the United States. Our parent company EDF is considering a four unit model in the U.K. with its British Energy venture, as well as in Italy through its joint venture with Enel. So the concept of the UniStar model is starting to gain recognition for the benefi ts it brings in terms of economies of scale and standardization -- from licensing through construction and on into operation.

As AREVA’s EPR becomes more widely accepted across the globe as one of the new units of choice, the United States is competing with the rest of the globe for access to that technology. Our biggest challenge is going to be if the rest of the globe continues to pursue nuclear energy at the rate it has, and the U.S. continues its current pace. The reality is the global supply chain can only support a limited number of units on a per year basis. I think that’s the biggest challenge. So while the UniStar model originally envisioned four nuclear energy facilities one year apart, I think now the optimum timeline for EPRs in the United States would probably be more in the range of two to two-and-a-half years between EPR, instead of one per year. So our four unit model now spans out over about eight years.

2. What have been UniStar’s challenges in the design and construction of the EPR?

The EPR is the only technology that has the benefi t of a design that’s evolved based on construction and operating experience at existing plants in the U.S., France, Germany, and other countries.

That being said, there will be some design modifi cations to meet codes and standards in the U.S.; however, they represent a small percentage of the EPR’s overall design and don’t fundamentally impact performance. Features that are key to the EPR’s design – 60-year design life, four separate safety trains, dual containment – will remain the same.

One of the benefi ts of UniStar’s business model is that it brings together all of the large companies required to actually make an EPR happen in the United States. We have strategic partnerships with AREVA, the technology provider of the EPR; Alstom, the turbine generator supplier for the EPR; Bechtel, who will be the constructor and main

architect engineer. We’ve added additional partnerships with Excel Services for licensing capability and Accenture to develop our information technology platform, Galaxy. So we bring everyone together that’s necessary not only to get an EPR licensed, but actually built and commercially developed, tested and online in a rather predictable time frame. We can say that because we are taking advantage of the information that we already have from Olkiluoto and more importantly from Flamanville, which is owned by EDF and the reference site for Calvert Cliffs 3.

3. How are the lessons learned in Olkiluoto and Flamanville being applied to the U.S. EPRTM?

The challenges at Olkiluoto are well documented. The project got off to a very quick start with a very aggressive schedule and a very aggressive commercial operation date. The real challenge began though when the agreement was signed to start construction even though the detailed



design engineering phase of the project was less than 10 percent complete.

Based on lessons that were learned at Olkiluoto, the Flamanville project started with about 30-40 percent of the detailed design engineering complete. At UniStar we believe the fi rst U.S. EPR project will be our proposed Calvert Cliffs 3 in southern Maryland. Our plan is to have the detailed design engineering about 70-80 percent complete by the time we pour our fi rst safety related concrete. By the time we get our second proposed project underway, which is Nine Mile Point 3 in New York, we plan on having the detailed design engineering 100 percent complete.

In addition, we have personnel who are participating in the Flamanville construction right now and bringing those lessons learned back to UniStar. For instance Flamanville developed a process for welding the containment liner rings in a way that allows for acceptance testing using a radiographic source 360 degrees around the weld. We’ll be bringing that process to the U.S. EPR for the Calvert project.

4. How do you keep track of all the lessons learned and make them available for future use?

UniStar’s Galaxy information technology platform, which we developed with Accenture for the U.S. EPR fl eet of nuclear energy facilities, captures all of our lessons learned to create a project knowledge management tool for future builds.

One of the lessons learned from the last round of new builds in the U.S. is how all the design information, construction drawings, fi eld change requests, and Inspection, Test, Analysis, and Acceptance Criteria (ITAAC) information have to come together in order to actually be able to commission and start up a reactor according to schedule. Additionally you have to have the complete design, licensing and construction basis to operate successfully for 60 or 80 years, especially when you start talking about

license renewal. Many utilities had to go through design phase reconstruction at some point in their life, and many utilities paid millions and millions of dollars to do it. Galaxy creates an information technology system that captures all of that information generated by all of the new build vendors and processes it in a way that facility operators will have access to information when they need it.

Another thing we have been able to achieve with the Galaxy platform, which is critical path for today, is streamlining documents for the licensing process. The industry made the commitment to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that the fi rst round of Combined Operating Licenses (COLAs) would be developed in a standardized fashion in order to make the review process of subsequent COLAs more effi cient. With Galaxy we are able to standardize the compilation of COLA

related material so that if you look at any page of our reference plant COLA, an 8,000 page document, and put it side by side with the COLA for our Bell Bend project in Pennsylvania it would be 70 percent identical. The information that’s different is bracketed and highlighted yellow so that it’s easily identifi able to the NRC. This allows for a more effi cient review process at a more accelerated pace because of how standardized we’ll be able to make those licensing documents. We envision that all the way through the start up testing and commissioning.

Contact: Kelly Shanefelter, UniStar Nuclear Energy, 750 E. Pratt Street Baltimore, MD 21202; telephone: (410) 470-7047, email: [email protected]. �

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Development of Advanced Nuclear Reactors WorldwideBy Sama Bilbao y León, International Atomic Energy Agency.

Sama Bilbao y LeónSama Bilbao y León is the Technical Head of the IAEA Water Cooled Reactors Technology Development Unit

and she is in charge of IAEA activities in support of the development and near term deployment of advanced water cooled reactors and their associated fuels. Dr. Bilbao y León’s previous experience includes nuclear safety analysis in support of plant operation at Dominion Generation (USA) and advanced research at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Dr. Bilbao y León is an expert in experimental and computational thermal-hydraulics, nuclear safety analysis methods development, and energy and environmental policy. She is one of the founders of the North American Young Generation in Nuclear (NA-YGN) and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the American Nuclear Society (ANS).

This article has been prepared with valuable support from John Cleveland, and with the indispensable contributions from the IAEA Leads for technology development of the various reactor lines: Vladimir Kuznetsov (Small and Medium Size Reactors), Alex Stanculescu (Fast Reactors) and Bismark Tyobeka (Gas Cooled Reactors).

IntroductionBy mid-2009, there were 436 nuclear

power plants in operation worldwide, with a total capacity of 370.2 GWe. Further, 52 units were under construction. During 2007 nuclear power produced 2,608.2 billion kWh of electricity, which was 14.2% of the world’s total. Based on information provided by its Member States, the IAEA projects that nuclear power will produce between 2,748 and 2794 billion kWh annually by 2010, between 3,207 and 3,946 billion kWh annually by 2020, and between 3,522 and 5,551 billion kWh annually by 2030 [1].

Various organizations, including de-sign organizations, utilities, universities, national laboratories, and research in-stitutes are involved in the development of advanced nuclear plant concepts. The IAEA follows global trends in advanced reactor design and associated technol-ogy development and summarizes them periodically in a balanced and objective manner.

The IAEA classifi es advanced reactor designs in two categories: evolutionary designs and innovative designs. Evolutionary designs achieve improvements over existing designs through small to moderate modifi cations, with a strong emphasis on maintaining proven design features to minimize technological risks. Their development requires utmost engineering and confi rmatory testing. Innovative designs incorporate radical changes in design approaches or system confi guration

in comparison with existing practice. Substantial R&D, feasibility tests, and a prototype or demonstration plant are probably required.

In the near term, most new nuclear plants will likely be evolutionary designs often pursuing economies of scale. In the longer term, innovative designs which promise even shorter construction times and lower capital costs could help to pro-mote a new era of nuclear power. Several innovative designs are in the small-to-medium size (SMR) range (the IAEA classifi es plants as: Large- 700 MWe and larger, Medium- 300-700 MWe, and small- below 300 MWe) and could be par-ticularly attractive for the introduction of nuclear power into developing countries and for use in remote locations.

Light Water ReactorsIn addition to its extensive nuclear

power programme with PWRs, WWERs and HWRs supplied by foreign vendors, China has also developed and operates its own domestic medium-size PWR designs. Furthermore, the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) has developed the evolutionary China Nuclear Plant (CNP-1000) incorporating the experience from the design, construction and operation of

the existing plants in China. Two CNP-1000 units are in operation (Lingao 1 & 2) and several more units are under construction and planned. The State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation (SNPTC), which was created in May 2007, is responsible for the assimilation of the Westinghouse AP-1000 technology to develop the Chinese large scale passive design CAP1400, as well as some other advanced reactor concepts, including SMRs and Supercritical Water Cooled Reactor (SCWR).

In France and Germany, AREVA has designed the European Pressurized Water Reactor (EPR), which meets European utility requirements. The EPR’s power level of 1600+ MWe has been selected to capture economies of scale relative to the latest series of PWRs operating in France (the N4 series) and Germany (the Konvoi series). The fi rst EPR is presently under construction for TVO of Finland at the Olkiluoto site. Commercial operation is planned for 2012. Also, Electricite de France is constructing an EPR at Flamanville (Unit 3), with commissioning scheduled for 2012, and is planning to start construction of an EPR at Penly beginning in 2012. Two EPR units are


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Development of...Continued from page 36

also under construction in China at Taishan, Units 1 and 2. Areva’s U.S. EPR design is currently being reviewed by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US NRC) for design certifi cation in the United States, and by the UK HSE for Generic Design Assessment (GDA) in the United Kingdom AREVA is also working with Mitsubishi Heavy Industry, Ltd in a joint venture to develop the 1100+ MWe ATMEA-1 Pressurized Water Reactor, and is working with several European utilities to develop the 1250+ MWe KERENA Boiling Water Reactor.

In Japan, the benefi ts of standard-ization and series construction are being realized with the large-size ABWR units designed by General Electric, Hitachi Ltd, and Toshiba Corp. Two ABWRs are under construction in Taiwan, China, and several have been proposed for construc-tion in the United States.

Also in Japan, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has developed the advanced pressurized water reactor (APWR+), which is a larger version of the large advanced PWR designed by MHI and Westinghouse for the Tsuruga-3 and 4 units. MHI has submitted a US version of the APWR, the US APWR to the US NRC for design certifi cation. A European version of the APWR, the EU-APWR, is currently under evaluation against the European Utility Requirements (EUR).

With the goals of sustainable energy through high conversion (a conversion ratio equal to or beyond 1.0) of fertile isotopes to fi ssile isotopes, Hitachi Ltd. is developing in Japan the large-size, reduced moderation Resource-Renewable BWR (RBWR) and JAEA is developing the large-size Reduced Moderation Water Reactor (RMWR).

In the Republic of Korea, the benefi ts of standardization and series construction are being realized with the 1000 MWe Korean Standard Nuclear Plants (KSNPs). Ten KSNPs are in commercial operation. The accumulated experience has been used by Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP) to develop an improved version, the 1000 MWe Optimized Power

Reactor (OPR), of which four units are under construction in Shin-Kori 1 and 2 and Shin Wolsong 1 and 2 with grid connection scheduled between 2010 and 2012.

KHNP’s Advanced Power Reactor APR-1400 builds on the KSNP experience with a higher power level to capture economies of scale. The fi rst APR-1400 unit is under construction at Shin-Kori 3. Activities are underway in the Republic of Korea to design an APR+ of approximately 1500 MWe, with the goal to complete the standard design by 2012.

In the Russian Federation evolutionary WWER plants have been designed building on the experience from currently operating WWER-1000 plants. WWER-1000 units are currently under construction at the Kalinin and Volgodonsk sites and WWER-1200 at the Novovoronezh-2 and Leningrad-2 site. Additional WWER-1200 units are planned by 2020 at Novovoronezh, Leningrad, Volgodon, Kursk, Smolensk and Kola. A WWER-1000 evolutionary unit will be constructed in Belene, Bulgaria using some features of AES-2006 design basis. Two evolutionary WWER-1000 units were connected to the grid at Tianwan, China and the construction of another WWER-1000 unit is underway in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

In the USA, designs for a large APWR (the Combustion Engineering System 80+) and a large ABWR (General Electric’s ABWR) were certifi ed by the USNRC in 1997. Westinghouse’s mid-size AP-600 design with passive safety systems was certifi ed in 1999. Westinghouse has developed the AP-1000 applying the passive safety technology developed for the AP-600 with the goal of reducing capital costs through economies-of-scale. In February 2006, the AP-1000 received design certifi cation from the USNRC, and an amendment is presently under review by the US NRC.

General Electric is designing the large Economical Simplifi ed BWR (ESBWR), applying economies of scale and modular passive system technology. The ESBWR is currently in the design certifi cation review phase with the US NRC.

A prototype or a demonstration plant will most likely be required for the su-percritical water cooled systems, which

have been selected for development by the Generation-IV International Forum (GIF). In a supercritical system, the re-actor operates above the critical point of water (22.4 MPa and 374°C) resulting in higher thermal effi ciency than current LWRs and HWRs. Thermal effi ciencies of 40-45% are projected with simplifi ed plant designs. The large-size thermody-namically super-critical water-cooled re-actor concept being developed by Toshi-ba, Hitachi and the University of Tokyo is an example. The European Commis-sion is supporting the High Performance Light Water Reactor (HP-LWR) project for a thermodynamically supercritical LWR. Activities on thermodynamically super-critical concepts are also ongoing at universities, research centres and de-sign organizations in Canada, USA, Ja-pan, Germany, India, Republic of Korea, Russia, China and the Ukraine.

Heavy water reactorsIn Canada, Atomic Energy of

Canada Ltd. (AECL) is working on the Enhanced CANDU 6 (EC6) concept based on the latest CANDU 6 plant built in Qinshan, China that has been updated to meet the latest codes and standards and incorporates the latest regulatory requirements. AECL is also developing the large-size, evolutionary Advanced CANDU Reactor, the ACR-1000, using slightly enriched uranium and light water coolant and incorporating improvements derived from research and development conducted in recent decades. Also, as a part of the GIF initiative, AECL is developing an innovative pressure tube reactor design with heavy water moderator and supercritical light-water coolant.

In India, a process of evolution of HWR design has been carried out since the Rajasthan 1 and 2 projects. India’s 540 MWe HWR design incorporates feedback from the indigenously designed 220 MWe units, and in September 2005 and August 2006 the two 540 MWe units at Tarapur began commercial operation. India is also designing an evolutionary 700 MWe HWR, and a 300 MWe Advanced Heavy Water Reactor using heavy water moderation with boiling light water coolant in vertical pressure tubes, optimized for utilization of thorium, and with passive safety systems. Research is also underway on heavy



water moderated, pressure tube designs with thermodynamically supercritical water coolant.

Gas-cooled reactors (GCRs)

The experience of 50 years in the operation of gas cooled reactors for electricity generation, mostly in the United Kingdom, is currently being used towards their potential use in processes requiring high temperatures like hydrogen generation, enhancing coal gasifi cation, oil recovery in tar sands etc. In several countries, prototype and demonstration GCR plants with helium coolant using the Rankine steam cycle for electric power generation have been built and operated. Currently, two helium-cooled test reactors are in operation: the High-Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) at the JAEA in Japan and the HTR-10 at the Institute of Nuclear Energy Technology in China.

The USA, China and South Africa are currently the leading countries in the quest to deploy a high temperature reactor

by 2018. Whilst China’s HTRs are geared towards electricity production, South Africa’s and the United States’ designs are more focused on the cogeneration market, mainly process heat.

China is developing the modular HTR-PM, with each module having a capacity of 250 MWt/100 MWe. It is a high temperature gas cooled reactor with pebble bed fuel and an indirect supercritical steam energy conversion cycle. Demonstration of a full size module is planned for 2013. A license application has been fi led and is under review. A two-module plant confi guration is foreseen for the commercial version of this reactor, yielding an electric output of 200 MWe.

In South Africa, the 165 MW(e) pebble bed modular reactor (PBMR), a high temperature gas cooled reactor with pebble bed fuel originally employing a direct gas turbine Brayton cycle, has undergone a design strategy change. It will now be implemented fi rst with an indirect steam power conversion cycle. Its demonstration at full size is still scheduled

by 2014, and future confi gurations will include 4 and 8-module plants.

Brayton cycle turbomachinery, which would be incorporated in the future modifi cations of this design, is under development in the Russian Federation by OKBM.

Collaboration is underway between the USA and Russia on a Gas Turbine Modular Helium Reactor (GT-MHR) small reactor concept for destruction of weapons grade plutonium in conjunction with electricity production. Other small helium-cooled reactor concepts are being developed by JAEA and Fuji Electric in Japan, and the Nuclear Research & Consultancy Group (NRG) in the Netherlands.

Small and Medium Sized Reactors

Several small and medium sized water cooled designs are of the integral type with the steam generator, pressurizer and, in some cases, control rod drives housed in the same vessel as the reactor core to eliminate primary system piping,


ND08.indd 72 12/5/2008 6:25:25 PM




NPJ Advertiser Web Directory

minimizing the scope of possible loss of coolant accidents (LOCA) and reactivity initiated accidents (RIA). The Argentinian CAREM (from Spanish: Central ARgentina de Elementos Modulares) reactor is cooled by natural circulation, and has passive safety systems. Argentina plans to construct and operate a small prototype of 27 MW(e) by about 2011, followed by larger projects with higher power ratings of up to ~300 MWe. The SMART (System Integrated Modular Advanced Reactor) 330 MWt design developed in the Republic of Korea is an integral PWR for electricity production and seawater desalination. Construction of a pilot or demonstration plant is planned. The IRIS design of integral type pressurized water reactor developed by an International consortium led by Westinghouse Electric Company (USA) has unit power of 335 MW(e) but allows

for twin unit NPPs. It is entering the detailed design stage and its design certifi cation by the US NRC is scheduled to start in 2012. As another example, the NuScale company in the USA is designing a 45 MWe small integral PWR for a multi-modular NPP of 540 MWe. More recently, B&W announced their plans to deploy by 2018 their new 125 MWe integral reactor design, the mPower, with a refueling cycle of 5 years.

In Russia, the Experimental Design Bureau of Machine Building (OKBM) has developed the KLT-40S, a small barge-mounted NPP design for electricity and heat, for which construction was started in June 2006. Assembly of the fi rst reactor for the fl oating plant was completed in early 2009 and the assembly of the second one is well underway. The fl oating plant will deliver 300 MWt/70 MWe with two water cooled KLT-40S reactors on board.

Activities are in full swing by the Kazakhstan Russian joint venture to fi nalize detailed design of the VBER-300 reactor of 295 MW(e) for a land based cogeneration plant, also allowing for twin units. VBER-300 is essentially a

larger version of the KLT-40S, and could also be located on a barge. There are plans to build the fi rst VBER-300 units in Kazakhstan before 2015, and sites for the location of these plants have already been selected.

In Japan, the Toshiba Corporation, in cooperation with the Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI) and Westinghouse Electric Company, is developing the 4S sodium cooled reactor. It has a design power of 10 MW(e) and a refueling interval of 30 years. The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission began a pre-application review in 2007, and the formal licensing process is scheduled to start in October 2010. Construction of a demonstration reactor and safety tests are planned for the fi rst half of the next decade.

Innovative SMRs are under development for all principal reactor lines and some non-conventional combinations. More than 45 innovative SMR concepts and designs are at different stages of development within national or international R&D programmes, involving both developed and developing

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countries. Most allow for, or explicitly facilitate, non-electrical applications such as potable water or hydrogen production.

Fast reactorsFast reactors have been under

development for many years in several countries, primarily as breeders. Plutonium breeding allows fast reactors to extract sixty-to-seventy times more energy from uranium than thermal reactors do - a capability that will allow very substantial increases in nuclear power in the longer term. Fast reactors can also contribute to reducing plutonium stockpiles, and to reducing the required isolation time for high-level radioactive waste by utilizing transuranic radioisotopes and transmuting some long-lived fi ssion products.

The design and operation of sodium-cooled fast reactors, such as the small size Prototype Fast Reactor in the United Kingdom, the prototype Phénix in France, the BN-350 in Kazakstan (part of its thermal energy was used for sea-water desalination), the demonstration BN-600 in Russia, Monju in Japan, and the commercial size Superphénix in France, have provided an experience base of more than 400 reactor-years. In addition, there is a considerable base of experience with lead-bismuth (eutectic) cooled propulsion (submarine) reactors operated in Russia.

Currently there are two experimental fast reactors in operation (BOR-60 and FBTR) and one under commissioning (CEFR); one power fast reactor in operation (BN-600), one under re-start preparation (Monju), one in the stage of end-of-life tests (Phénix), and two under construction (PFBR and BN-800).

Examples of current activities include: completion of the construction in China of the small size Chinese Experimental Fast Reactor with criticality scheduled for fall 2009; the development of the medium size KALIMER 600 design in the Republic of Korea; the successful operation of the Indian Fast Breeder Test Reactor and its utilization for fast reactor R&D, especially fuel irradiation and materials research; the medium size Prototype FBR in India for which construction started in 2004 and commissioning is planned for 2010- 2011; and, in France, the end-of-life experimental programme at Phénix that will be shut down in fall of 2009, as well as design work for a

medium size new generation fast reactor (ASTRID), as a test-bed for system and technological innovation, having the capability for materials and fuel testing, and demonstration of advanced recycle strategies.

In China, component installation work for the pool-type China Experimental Fast Reactor (CEFR, 65MWth/20MWe) was completed. Two hundred-fi fty tons of nuclear grade high purity sodium was shipped to the plant. Filling of the primary and secondary loops was completed in April 2009. Fuel loading was planned to start by August 2009, with fi rst criticality before the end of the year. Grid connection at 30% power is planned for mid-2010.

France just completed the defi nition of the test program in view of the fi nal shut-down of the 280 MWe fast reactor Phénix. Research and technology development activities are ongoing in two areas: the gas-cooled and the sodium-cooled fast reactor concepts. France is planning an experimental reactor (ETDR, possibly as an European project) in the range of 50 MWth to demonstrate the viability of key gas-cooled fast reactor technologies.

For the sodium-cooled concept, design work is ongoing for the 250 – 600 MWe GEN IV prototype sodium-cooled fast reactor ASTRID (to be commissioned in 2020), as a test-bed for system and technological innovation, having the capability for materials and fuel testing, and demonstration of advanced recycle strategies.

In India, the design and analysis of all major systems and components of the 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR, under construction at Kalpakkam) have been completed. At the same time, R&D activities in the fi elds of reactor physics, component development, thermal hydraulics, structural mechanics, materials and metallurgy, safety, fuel chemistry and reprocessing are focused towards future fast breeder reactors. For closing the fuel cycle, a Fast Reactor Fuel Cycle Facility (FRFCF) is under construction at Kalpakkam. The layout of the FRFCF has been planned in such a way that expansion is possible to meet the requirements of two more 500 MWe


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FBRs, which are planned to be built also at the Kalpakkam site at later date.

Japan just completed the Monju modifi cation work, the functional testing of the modifi ed systems as well as the

entire system functional testing. Based on a Japanese policy decision, the Fast Reactor Cycle Technology Development (FaCT) Project was launched aiming at the commercialization of fast reactor cycle technology. The main development issues were identifi ed (13 fast reactor technology issues and 12 fuel cycle issues). Design studies and R&D of innovative technologies are in progress, with the twofold objective of providing, by 2010, the basis for deciding which innovative technologies to adopt, and delivering, by 2015, the conceptual designs of demonstration and commercial facilities.

In Russia, the construction of the BN-800 fast reactor at Beloyarsk is progressing. BN-800 commissioning is planned for 2014. In addition, R&D programs are pursued in several areas such as the design of the BN 800 MOX-fuel manufacturing pilot plant, the development of advanced sodium cooled fast reactors development and the R&D on fast reactors with heavy liquid metal coolant (lead-bismuth-cooled SVBR-100, lead-cooled BREST ОD 300, lead-cooled research fast reactor BIRS).

Within the framework of a distinct track in the GIF sodium-cooled fast

reactor system research plan, the USA is preparing a small-size sodium-cooled modular fast reactor concept whose characteristics are long life, proliferation resistance, inherent safety and potential for remote locations deployment. As far as lead-cooled fast reactor R&D, the US focuses on a small-size concepts, like the lead-cooled secure transportable autonomous reactor (STAR) fuelled with nitride fuel.

ConclusionsWith a 14% share, nuclear power

contributes signifi cantly to the world’s electricity supply and has great potential to expand, and to contribute to emerging needs such as seawater desalination, hybrid electric vehicles and hydrogen production. Considerable development is on-going for new, advanced nuclear power plants with competitive economics and very high safety levels.

References[1] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC EN-

ERGY AGENCY, Energy, Electricity and Nuclear Power Estimates for the Period up to 2030, IAEA Reference Data Series No. 1, IAEA, Vienna (2008).

[2] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC EN-ERGY AGENCY, HWRs: Status and Projected Development, IAEA Technical Reports Series, TRS-407, IAEA, Vienna (2002).

[3] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC EN-ERGY AGENCY, Status of Ad-vanced Light Water Reactor Designs: 2004, IAEA-TECDOC-1391, IAEA, Vienna (2004).

[4] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC EN-ERGY AGENCY, Liquid Metal Cooled Reactors: Experience in Design and Operation, IAEA-TEC-DOC-1569, IAEA, Vienna (2007).

[5] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC EN-ERGY AGENCY, Review of Na-tional Accelerator Driven System Programmes for Partitioning and Transmutation, IAEA-TECDOC-1365, IAEA, Vienna (2003).

[6] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC EN-ERGY AGENCY, Current Status and Future Development of Modular High Temperature Gas Cooled Re-actor Technology, IAEA-TECDOC-1198, IAEA, Vienna (2001).

[7] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC EN-ERGY AGENCY, Design Features to Achieve Defence in Depth in Small and Medium Sized Reactors (SMRs) IAEA Nuclear Energy Series No. NP-T-2.2 (2009).

[8] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC EN-ERGY AGENCY, Status of Small Reactor Designs Without On-site Refuelling, IAEA-TECDOC-1536 (2007).

[9] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC EN-ERGY AGENCY, Innovative Small and Medium Sized Reactors: De-sign Features, Safety Approaches, and R&D Trends, IAEA-TECDOC-1451, Vienna (May 2005).

[10] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC EN-ERGY AGENCY, Advanced Nuclear Plant Design Options to Cope with External Events, IAEA-TECDOC-1487, Vienna (February 2006).

[11] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC EN-ERGY AGENCY, Status of Innova-tive Small and Medium Sized Re-actor Designs 2005: Reactors with Conventional Refuelling Schemes, IAEA-TECDOC-1485, Vienna (March 2006).

[12] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC EN-ERGY AGENCY, Advanced Appli-cations of Water-Cooled Reactors, IAEA-TECDOC-1584 (2008).

[13] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC EN-ERGY AGENCY, Improving Eco-nomics and Safety of Water-Cooled Reactors: Proven Means and New Approaches, IAEA-TECDOC-1290, IAEA, Vienna (2002).

[14] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC EN-ERGY AGENCY, Evolutionary Water-Cooled Reactors: Strategic Issues, Technologies and Economic Viability, Proceedings of a sympo-sium held in Seoul, 30th November- 4th December 1998, IAEA-TEC-DOC-1117, IAEA, Vienna (1999).

Contact: Sama Bilbao y León, International Atomic Energy Agency, Wagramer Strasse 5, PO Box 100, A2569, 1400 Vienna, Austria; telephone: 43 (1) 2600-22865 or 22803, fax: 43 (1) 2600-29598, email: [email protected]. �


Safety Vessel of Indian Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor Lowered into Reactor Vault in Kalpakkam, India

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A Unique & Visionary ECT Program

By Bob Lisowyj, Omaha Public Power District and Zoran Kuljis, Westinghouse.

Bob LisowyjBob Lisowyj was awarded a Ph.D. in 1978 from the University of Leeds in England for work on grain boundary embrittlement effects in Magnox AL 80. He is a holder of six U.S. material patents. He became a Chartered Engineer with the Engineering Council, UK, 2007, and a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, 2007. He was enrolled as an International Professional Engineer, 2008. Currently he is working with Omaha Public Power District, Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station as a Materials Project Manager.

Nuclear Energy Institute’s Top Industry Practice (TIP) Awards highlight the nuclear industry’s most innovative techniques and ideas. They promote the sharing of innovation and best practices, and consequently improve the commercial prospects and competitive position of the industry as a whole.

This TIP Award Entry won the Ralph Sylvia Best of the Best Award at the Nuclear Energy Institute’s Nuclear Energy Assembly held in Washington, D.C. in May, 2009.

The team members who participated included: Bob Lisowyj, Materials Project Manager, Omaha Public Power District and Zoran Kuljis, Principal Engineer, Westinghouse.

SummaryThe Problem:Stress corrosion cracking (SCC)

consists of two stages, an incubation stage followed by a crack propagation stage. The crack propagation stage can be determined fairly accurately by using Arrhenius energy values. However, the incubation stage can take long periods of time (20 years is not uncommon), and is far less predictable with no indication of how incubation is progressing. Currently, there is no method for assessing when the transition from incubation to cracking will occur, or if it is occurring. Stress corrosion cracking is therefore diffi cult to control and is usually found only after through-wall cracking has produced a leak. This problem is particularly applicable to stainless steel and inconel alloys in the Reactor Coolant System (RCS) where risk assessments are more critical to safe plant operations.

Specifi c Areas of Concern:In the nuclear industry, SCC has

occurred in inconel alloys and stainless steel alloys. However, at Fort Calhoun station, the specifi c areas of concern were the Control Element Drive Mechanism

(CEDM) seal housings. Fort Calhoun Station needed to assess the status of its own seal housings, and decide whether preventative replacement was necessary or cost effective.

Inspection Goals and Choice of NDE Methodology:

The inspection goals were to: defi ne the material condition, and to reduce operational risk by better understanding the incubation period prior to the onset of SCC.

Eddy current testing (ECT) was cho-sen as the NDE technique of choice, be-cause it is so sensitive to surface changes. In fact ECT is hampered by material per-meability variations, which challenge the detection capabilities of a sensor by limit-ing the resolution of fl aw signatures. It is this ability to fi nd permeability variations that has made ECT so promising in char-acterizing the SCC process.

ECT acquisition and impedance output is proportional to fi eld driver orientation, sensor pickup type, probe lift-off, and the voltage/frequency settings. Material conditions such as surface effects from cold working may cause the production of martensite or material nonhomogeneities both of which can be detected by ECT.

Material Investigation:Failed CEDM seal housings were

sectioned at the EPRI NDE Center and then sent to Battelle Pacifi c Northwest Laboratories for an analytical transmis-sion electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy study. Prior to sec-tioning, ECT was performed on the 304 stainless steel housings, and four zones of high permeability were found with all the cracking being associated with these zones of high permeability. The study at Battelle found no unusual material con-ditions, such as changes in precipitate density, no abnormally high dislocation concentrations, or areas of martensite, which could explain the high permeabil-ity detected by ECT.

However, surface oxidation will alter the orbital spin in materials such as stainless steels and inconel alloys creating

magnetic dipole alignment. This local magnetic dipole change at the surface of the 304 stainless seal housing would change the material from a paramagnetic to a ferromagnetic state. The zones of ferromagnetic surface layers found by ECT are anodic areas from which SCC will initiate. All cracking has been found to emanate from these anodic, high permeability areas. The mechanism of transitioning to a ferromagnetic state is described in “Transitioning from Paramagnetic to Ferromagnetic Surface Oxidation,” an article published by Materials Performance in November 2003 and written by Kirby Woods and Bob Lisowyj.

FCS Program:A voluntary program at Fort Calhoun

Station using Wesdyne Intraspect ECT technology was started in 1999. In order to directly compare local permeability, normalized ECT values have been used. The normalized value is defi ned as an arithmetic ratio of the absolute measure-ment of local permeability (amplitude) to the ECT signal value (amplitude) for the same characteristic calibration standard notch. This normalized value is then ex-pressed as a percentage. The same axially oriented notch was used for all the Fort Calhoun Station measurements, and on the failed CEDM seal housings. For the



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permeability measurements a lower fre-quency was used because it is more sensi-tive to local permeability changes.

All 37 Fort Calhoun Station 304 stainless steel CEDM seal housings have

been inspected by the ECT methodology since 1999 (see the visual). Additionally data has been collected on the Alloy 600 reactor vessel head nozzles during the 2005 refueling outage (RFO). No indication of cracking was found in any of the housings or nozzles at Fort Calhoun Station. The highest normalized ECT value from the Fort Calhoun Station housings (73.9%) is less than half the ECT normalized value (152.4%) from uncracked housings at another plant. If any normalized ECT values at Fort Calhoun Station exceed a conservative, normalized value of the housings (140%), then that housing would be recommended for replacement by an available Fort Calhoun Station spare housing.

To date, little change of permeability has been observed in the retested Fort Calhoun Station housings. During the 2008 RFO, the eight highest normalized ECT CEDM seal housings were retested to fi nd out if any changes in permeability are occurring. No cracking was found at any of the Fort Calhoun Station CEDM seal housings, and the normalized permeability values were unchanged. This lack of change shows that no active progression towards SCC failure was

occurring in any of the CEDM seal housings at Fort Calhoun Station. This data provides good justifi cation for less frequent examinations at Fort Calhoun Station.

The almost identical CEDM seal housings at another plant failed after 19 years of operation. It may well be that the failed CEDM seal housings contained initially higher, localized permeability values, however the advantage of the this

TIP is that it provides a mechanism for tracking the change in permeability with time and fi nding areas that are susceptible to SCC. The change in permeability at the plant that had failures in their CEDM seal housings would have been a good indicator that incubation was progressing, and that SCC failure was likely. This is the essence of this TIP, which provides a method of enhancing plant safety by predicting SCC susceptibility, and avoiding early and costly replacement of expensive plant components resulting in savings and productivity increases. The methodology is fully transferable to other plants.

SafetyThe tracking of the ECT permeability

signal enhances nuclear safety by not only detecting fl aws, but by monitoring the progress of the incubation stage and projecting when cracking will occur. This ability to project when and where cracking will occur results in fewer inspections, removes the probability of through-wall leaks, and results in lower radiation exposures by reducing examination frequency.

Radiation Protection Savings is 10-50 person-rem.

Initial Savings would come from avoiding replacement of CEDM Seal Housings

Cost Savings Since the inception of the ECT

Program in 1999, the total cost of inspections has been ~$500,000. Without the ECT Program, all the CEDM housings would have been replaced during the 2006 RFO for a cost of ~$5,000,000. Additionally, this replacement would have needed 7 outage days for a cost of $2,100,000, and an estimated plant labor cost $200,000.

InnovationThe ECT Program is unique and

visionary, because for the fi rst time a method for tracking the incubation stage of SCC has been achieved. The accuracy of projecting when SCC is occurring is therefore signifi cantly improved. The process is also innovative in its simplicity of fi eld work, and analysis of ECT data. The anodic, high permeability, potential cracking zones are very easy to discriminate on the ECT display from Intraspect, and actual testing is accomplished in less than half a day.

TransferabilityThe ECT Program for permeability

monitoring can be used at any plant to as-sess the condition and extent of the incu-bation stage, which has been a huge area of uncertainty prior to the ECT Program. The normalized amplitude ECT value can provide every plant with a measurable pa-rameter that can be used to achieve greater system reliability by avoiding unexpected SCC failures. In general any progressive increases in normalized amplitude ECT values would be indicative of an active incubation period in which SCC would occur. If no changes in normalized per-meability values are observed then the mechanism is not active and fewer, less frequent inspections are necessary. The methodology would be particularly ben-efi cial to stainless steels and inconel al-loys in the RCS where operational risk is the highest.

Contact: Bob Lisowyj, Omaha Public Power District, Fort Calhoun Station, 9610 Power Lane, Blair, NE 68008; telephone: (402) 533-6491, fax: (402) 533-7390, email: [email protected]. �

A Unique...Continued from page 44


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Continued Focus on Excellence

By Nebraska Public Power District.

Brian O’GradyBrian O’Grady, site vice president of Cooper Nuclear Station, joined Nebraska Public Power District in September 2008. He most recently served as Site Vice President at Tennessee Valley Authority’s Browns

Ferry Nuclear Plant, where he was responsible for restarting Unit 1 following 22 years of shutdown and the day to day operation of Units 2 & 3.While at Entergy previously, he served as Vice President of Operations Support for Entergy Nuclear Northeast, following two years as General Manager, Plant Operations, at James A. Fitzpatrick Nuclear Power Plant. He is also a former Operations Manager of Point Beach Nuclear Plant for the Nuclear Management Company.

Mr. O’Grady has more than 23 years experience in the commercial nuclear power industry. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., with a major in metallurgical and material engineering and a minor in economics.

In just a few months, the fi rst decade of the new millennium will be history. For the Nebraska Public Power District NPPD) Cooper Nuclear Station, it’s been a historic 10 years.

Like much of the rest of the nuclear industry at the turn of this century, Cooper Nuclear Station (CNS), in southeastern Nebraska, faced an uncertain future. But the nuclear renaissance has come quickly and dramatically to the 835 MW facility.

In 2000, it appeared likely that the station would shut down when its license expired in 2014. But by early 2003, the prospects for nuclear energy had changed to the point where the NPPD Board of Directors was considering a license renewal. To begin laying the groundwork for a possible operating license renewal application, NPPD signed a 10-year management support services contract with Entergy Nuclear in summer of 2003. NPPD continues to own the plant and the license, but Entergy personnel are involved in the day-to-day management of the plant. This relationship brought long-term management stability to Cooper, and the benefi ts of being part of a large, successful nuclear fl eet. Performance improved, and the NPPD Board subsequently declared its intention to seek a license renewal to operate the station to 2034.

NPPD then embarked upon an intensive $300 million investment program to improve the station’s material condition and boost its long term reliability.• New low pressure turbines. In early 2005, Cooper replaced both

low pressure turbines with new Siemens turbines.

• New feedwater heaters. In 2005 Cooper began the three-

cycle process of replacing all eight feedwater heaters. The old heaters, installed when the plant was built in the late 1960s, were experiencing wall thinning, and required repairs every refueling outage. Four new

heaters will be installed during the fall 2009 outage.

• New intake screens. Cooper draws its circulating water

from the fast-fl owing Missouri River. Over three decades of service, the silt and debris in the river took its toll on the equipment in the intake structure, and divers were needed several times a year to clear debris from the intake bays. In 2007, CNS replaced all nine traveling screens, and the trash rack/trash rake system. The modern intake equipment boosted condenser performance by excluding debris that passed through the old screens and fouled the condenser tubes. Today divers are rarely needed for these cleaning services at Cooper, which greatly reduces industrial safety concerns.

• Sonar System. Cooper also was one of the fi rst

stations in America to install leading-edge sonar technology in the service water intake bay. The sonar system enables the Control Room to monitor silt and debris buildup in the bay, in real time. Before the sonar was

installed, operators took frequent manual “soundings” at the service water intake.Along with the intake structure work,

Nebraska Public Power District installed a series of “turning vanes” in the Missouri River bed. These scientifi cally designed baffl es, precisely placed using the global positioning system, produce eddies and vortices in the river that cause silt and sediments to keep moving downriver instead of being drawn into the intakes. The combination of the turning vanes and the advanced sonar system has enhanced the safety margin and signifi cantly reduced the maintenance of the service water system.• Cooper purchased the old Surry

unit 1 Westinghouse main generator stator in May 2006, put the 1.2 million pound component on a barge in Virginia, and over the course of fi ve months, threaded it along many waterways to bring it to Cooper in October 2006. The station built a huge soft-sided fabric structure




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Continued Focus...Continued from page 48

and during most of 2007 rebuilt the old Surry stator in the temporary building. During the spring 2008 outage, the old Cooper generator was replaced with the rebuilt Surry unit and a new Siemens rotor forged in Romania. The old Cooper stator was sold to another U.S. nuclear station.

• Cooper also purchased a new 345 Kv switchyard transformer, installed state-of-the-art reactor vessel level controls, and is in the process of replacing both reactor recirculation motor generator set motors.

Dry cask photo: By early 2010, Ne-braska Public Power will complete work on the Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation, and transfer fuel from the fuel pool to dry cask storage. In the photo, the last of 198 pilings are being driven 80 feet to the bedrock, to serve as the foundation for the dry cask pad.

All this new equipment has had a dramatic effect. Cooper’s outage performance has improved markedly. In 2008 Cooper set a new continuous run record and a new gross generation record for a refueling and maintenance outage year. In early 2009, it implemented an appendix K power uprate to boost gross power rating from 801 MW to 835 MW.

To get maximum benefi t from vastly improved equipment reliability,

a substantial number of non-operations employees – clerical staff, security offi cers, electricians, mechanics and many other disciplines – have completed the fi rst half of the intensive non-licensed operator class. This built a broad and long-lasting reservoir of fundamental technical knowledge and understanding across the entire organization. The program directly resulted in a deep operational focus at Cooper, and has positioned Cooper for ongoing performance improvements.

Cooper is located in a sparsely populated area in one of the most rural states in America. Cooper employees play a major role in their communities as business owners, school board and city council members, as volunteer fi refi ghters and emergency medical technicians, as coaches, youth mentors, hospital volunteers, church leaders, and so on. Most of the 720 or so employees have deep roots in the communities around the station, and many people in southeastern Nebraska know or are related to someone who works at the power plant. Consequently, Cooper enjoys strong citizen support in the communities around the station.

Complimenting this wellspring of support, NPPD actively reaches out to Nebraskans. Cooper has an active tour program and has forged education, training, energy research, and workforce development partnerships with local colleges and universities. Every summer, NPPD hosts an energy workshop for teachers across the state. The station also hosts a number of science tours for science classes across the region.

Cooper, mirroring the industry of which it is a part, went from having an uncertain future less than a decade ago, to having a bright future today. The NRC has accepted Cooper’s license renewal application. Things are looking good for Cooper Nuclear Station, its employees, and NPPD customers. With a continued focus on excellence in safe nuclear power operations, the best is yet to come.

Basic Statistics:• General Electric BWR 4, Mark I

reactor.• June 1968 construction began. The

station is located on 1,121 acres in Nebraska and 230 acres on the opposite side of the Missouri River in Missouri.

• January 18, 1974 operating license granted by Atomic Energy Commission.

• July 1, 1974 commercial operation began.

• Station named in honor of Guy Cooper and his family. The Cooper family built one of the fi rst power plants in Nebraska, in Humboldt, in 1890. Cooper family members were active in the Nebraska power industry for the next 85 years.

• Cooper station furnishes about 20 percent of the power NPPD generates for Nebraska citizens. Cooper power is also sold in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, the Dakotas, and elsewhere.

• Approximately 720 employees. Eighteen month refueling cycle.

Flow loop simulator photo: In 2009 CNS designed and built a sophisticated safety and human performance fl ow loop training simulator. The elaborate structure of pipes, pumps, valves, and tanks present very realistic safety and human performance error traps nuclear workers often face when working on equipment. The simulator is constructed, so even people who never deal with nuclear power plant equipment will have opportunities to test their grasp of human performance tools and their knowledge of industrial accident precursors. Every person badged to Cooper undergoes fl ow loop simulator training at least once every cycle.

Contact: Glenn Troester, Nebraska Public Power District / Cooper Nuclear Station, P. O. Box 93, 72676 648A Ave, Brownville, NE 68321; telephone: (402) 825-5768, email: [email protected]. �


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