Decommissioning Zion NPP

The long-awaited decommissioning of the Zion Nuclear Plant finally is scheduled to begin in the next few weeks following the announcement the other day that its owner, Exelon Corp., has reached agreement on a decade-long, $1 billion cleanup. This is nearly the same plan the utility announced three years ago, but was sidetracked because of the economy. It is a solid first step in returning the Zion lakeshore to what it was before the facility first began using nuclear energy to generate electricity in 1973, during the heyday of Illinois’ nuclear power industry. The plant, once Zion’s largest employer and tax-revenue producer, sits on 257 acres of prime lakefront property. It has been an idle behemoth since 1998.

But the Exelon plan, approved by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, to transfer the station’s federal license next month to a Utah nuclear services company, leaves one huge problem to contend with during the cleanup: What to do with the hundreds of spent nuclear rods currently swimming in a pool yards from Lake Michigan. EnergySolutions, the company that will tackle the largest nuclear plant dismantling ever undertaken in the United States, will haul low-level radioactive waste from the site to its facility in Utah.

The plan currently is to keep the used nuclear fuel on the property under Exelon’s care in a secure facility once the decommissioning process is completed. That is because the Obama administration has decided to stop funding the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste depository in Nevada. We’re still waiting for the administration’s future plan on what to do with the rising amount of spent fuel produced by the 104 commercial nuclear generating units in the United States, which provide 20 percent of the nation’s electricity.

Those concerns aside, the razing of the twin cooling towers and dismantling of the facility means an injection locally of 200 skilled workers with a peak workforce of 400 employees. The Zion job is but one of 101 projects Chicago-headquartered Exelon is launching in a $4.6 billion spending spree across Illinois. Other work includes equipment upgrades at the company’s six nuclear plants in the state to produce more carbon-free megawatts.

Exelon’s nuclear president, Michael Pacilio, called the capital spending “our own economic stimulus program for Illinois.” Indeed, many believe that private investment will ultimately bring the nation out of the Great Recession.

Considering that the total allocation under federal stimulus funding for Lake and the other collar counties, Cook County and Chicago is $3.6 billion, it would appear Exelon is doing its share to aid the economy. That begins with jobs and work in Zion.

Source: Suburban Chicago News

Vermont Yankee reports “unusual event” to NRC

Entergy’s Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant in Vernon, Vermont declared an unusual event Sunday just after 7 p.m. EST due to a loss of 75 percent of certain control room alarms for more than 15 minutes, according to an event report filed with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

State authorities and the NRC resident inspector were notified per procedure. The event status was lifted at 8:28 p.m. EST, after the issue was traced to a blown fuse which was replaced, restoring power to the control room annunciators without further incident.

An unusual event is the lowest of four emergency classifications utilized by the NRC, and entails that there has been no release of radioactive material requiring offsite response or monitoring.

The Vermont Yankee is currently operating at full capacity.

Source: PennEnergy

Westinghouse Celebrates Grand Opening of First-of-a-Kind Startup Test Engineer Training Facility

PITTSBURGH, Aug. 27 /PRNewswire/ — Westinghouse Electric Company celebrated the grand opening of a First-of-a-Kind Startup Test Engineer Training Facility at its headquarters in Cranberry Township, Pa. on August 25, 2010.  The grand opening celebration included a ribbon-cutting ceremony, followed by facility tours featuring the facility’s diagnostic lab room that comes complete with a flow loop.

The Westinghouse Startup Test Engineer (WeSTETM) Training Facility will be used to train Westinghouse employees, customers and industry representatives on the proper testing and safe maintenance of Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear power plant systems, structures, and components.  The Westinghouse Startup Test Engineer Training Facility is comprised of a state-of-the-art AP1000 simulator that replicates the AP1000 digital control, protection and monitoring systems for component testing and diagnostics training.  In addition to the simulator, which is comprised of a digital lab room and a flow loop lab room, the facility includes two traditional training classrooms.

Deva Chari, senior vice president, Nuclear Power Plants, cut the ribbon at the entrance of the facility with the assistance of several leaders from Westinghouse Electric Company.

“The opening of this Startup Test Engineer Training Facility is an exciting step in the nuclear renaissance.  This facility serves as an important opportunity for our customers, our industry and Westinghouse to provide a high-quality Startup Test Engineer training and qualification program for the Westinghouse AP1000TM nuclear power plant,” said Mr. Chari.

The first class of 26 students will begin training at this facility at Westinghouse headquarters on August 30.  The training facility has the capacity to train approximately 100 students each year.  Each group of students will complete the training within approximately four months.  After the training and qualification program is complete, students will be qualified as Westinghouse Startup Test Engineers (WeSTEs). WeSTE qualification exceeds the minimum requirements for Level III Test Engineers as specified in ANSI/ASME NQA-1.

Source: Westinghouse Electric Company

Areva delays EPR component plant

Areva has adjusted its construction scheduled for the Areva Newport News plant in Virginia, its joint venture project with Northrop Grumman for the manufacture of heavy components for EPR reactors. In an emailed statement, Areva said that the postponement of the start of operations at the $360 million facility was made “to meet our customers’ planning timetables and to ensure we have production capabilities and capacity when our customers are ready for our components.” It added, “In the absence of sufficient loan guarantee funding and commitments to qualified applicants, some customers are delaying the start of projects which affects when the heavy components to be manufactured in Newport News will be required.” The plant will be able to finish the largest nuclear grade steel-alloy components such as reactor pressure vessels, steam generators and pressurizers. Construction of the new 30,000 square meter plant at Northrop Grumman’s existing shipbuilding site at Newport News began in July 2009. At that time, operations at the new facility were expected to start in 2012. Construction work continues at the site, Areva said, adding that it “remains committed to completing this facility in a timely manner which will continue to support Areva’s US and global equipment needs.” Areva spokesman Jarret Adams told the local Daily Press newspaper, “We’re hoping to have people in the building in 2012, and we’re looking at operational dates in maybe 2013.”

Source: World Nuclear News

Atomic Energy of Canada Limited announces NRU restart – Video News Release and B-roll/Photo

UK: Areva and Westinghouse reactor designs likely to be selected

Areva SA’s EPR and Westinghouse Electric Co.’s AP1000 nuclear reactor designs are likely to be approved for use in the U.K. next year, the country’s Health and Safety Executive said.

“Both reactor designs are capable of being shown to be acceptable in the U.K., subject to satisfactory progress being made on the not insignificant technical issues we have raised,” the authority said in its quarterly update on the design assessment process.

Health and environment regulators are assessing the Areva and Westinghouse designs as utilities including Electricite de France SA, E.ON AG and RWE AG consider building nuclear power plants in the U.K. The country approved 10 sites for nuclear development this year and the first station will be operating by 2018, Energy Secretary Chris Huhne said this month.

Nuclear reactors account for about a fifth of the U.K.’s electricity production, according to the World Nuclear Association.

Today’s health executive report covered the three month period ended June 30. Additional safety work may be carried out after the assessment is completed in June, the authority said.

Source: Bloomberg

B&W subsidiary to design and provide support for manufacture of replacement steam generators in South America

The Babcock & Wilcox Company (B&W) (NYSE:BWC) announced today that its subsidiary Babcock & Wilcox Canada Ltd. (B&W Canada) has been awarded a replacement steam generator (RSG) contract from Industrias Metalúrgicas Pescarmona Sociedad Anónima (IMPSA) in Argentina.

B&W Canada will design and fabricate key components and provide manufacturing technology for the completion of four CANDU RSGs. IMPSA will deliver the completed RSGs to the Embalse nuclear plant, which is owned and operated by Nucleoelectrica Argentina, S.A. (NA-SA).

The work will be performed by B&W Canada’s operations in Cambridge, Ontario, which has designed and manufactured more than 300 nuclear steam generators for customers worldwide.

“This contract represents our ongoing commitment to help Argentina meet its demand for power through reliable, safe and clean nuclear energy,” said Mike Lees, President, B&W Canada. “B&W Canada is not only equipped to extend the life of existing plants through nuclear products, services and technology, but also nuclear plant builds of the future.”

About B&W

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., The Babcock & Wilcox Company is a leader in clean energy technology and services, primarily for the nuclear, fossil and renewable power markets, as well as a premier advanced technology and mission critical defense contractor. B&W has locations worldwide and employs approximately 13,000 people, in addition to approximately 10,000 joint venture employees. Learn more at www.babcock.com.

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Source: Babcock and Wilcox

Westinghouse works on Chinese AP1000 contracts

Discussions continue for Westinghouse regarding the scope of its involvement in the next wave of AP1000 build in China.

Major contracts were signed last week covering the engineering procurement and construction of two reactors at Xianning, Hubei province but these omitted to mention the US nuclear technology company that originally developed the AP1000 design.

China’s AP1000s will be the biggest standardised fleet in the world

Technology transfer was part of the deal that Westinghouse signed with China National Nuclear Corporation in February 2007 to supply four AP1000s at two sites. This was expected to result in “long term participation” for Westinghouse in the future Chinese domestic market, stakeholder relations manager Adrian Bull told World Nuclear News. However, Chinese statements on the day of the contracts emphasised its move to the next phase in a program to develop self-sufficiency in nuclear technology.

Bull confirmed to WNN that it “continues to engage in discussion” with State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation (SNPTC) as well as its subsidiaries and various manufacturers that have “sought assistance” in their efforts to deploy AP1000s en-masse.

One item Westinghouse would be expected to supply to new AP1000s would be nuclear fuel. In addition, it expects its scope in future projects to include engineering services, automation as well as certain components and materials. Consultation, training and support could also come as part of new “full contracts” which should be finalized within the next few months at the same time as construction permits, said Bull.

While two AP1000s are being built at Sanmen and two more at Haiyang, preparations are under way for new pairs at Xianning (Hubei province), Pengze (Jiangxi province), and Taohuajiang (Hunan province). Beyond those, over 50 AP1000s are currently on the books with many more likely in the further future.

Source: World Nuclear News

Exelon to decommission Zion station as part of ‘Massive Spending Program’

Exelon Corp. says it’s set to begin a “massive spending program” in Illinois that includes the decommissioning of the already-closed Zion Station in Lake County.

Exelon Nuclear said in a statement Monday that the $4.6 million planned program should create more than 4,200 jobs in Illinois over the next five years. The program also includes equipment upgrades at six nuclear plants.

The Zion Station decommissioning is to begin in September as a $1 billion, 10-year project.
Exelon says it expects to transfer the station’s license to a Utah company that will take plant materials to a waste facility. Once that process is finished, Exelon says it will retake responsibility for the station and it will be available for commercial use.

The 200-acre Zion Station is 40 miles north of Chicago on Lake Michigan.

Source: Fox News / AP

Vietnam seeks nuclear power expertise from France

A delegation from the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade, led by Deputy Minister Do Huu Hao, ended a visit to France on Saturday after discussions on nuclear power generation and the nation’s successes in using energy sources more effectively.

At a working session with Christian De Gromard, head of the French Development Agency’s energy projects, the two sides reviewed the agency’s operations and projects on energy saving, while also discussing plans to improve energy use in Viet Nam.

The French Development Agency pledged to support Viet Nam’s efforts to save energy and use experiences the agency has drawn from its projects in Indonesia.

Deputy Minister Hao introduced Viet Nam’s newly-approved law on energy saving to French Development Agency officials and urged the agency to assist the country in drafting practical sub-law documents.

During the trip, the Vietnamese delegation also held discussions with Othman Salhi, Vice President for Asia of the AREVA group – a leading provider of solutions for carbon-free power generation.

Salhi discussed the AREVA group and its experiences in designing, building and operating nuclear power reactors as well as its capacity in providing nuclear fuel rods, treating and preserving nuclear waste and producing uranium.

He said AREVA wanted to co-operate with Viet Nam in developing nuclear power.

Hao told his host that Viet Nam was willing to join with other nations that have nuclear technology and are able to provide nuclear fuel rods while also safely treating and disposing of nuclear waste.

The Deputy Minister said he highly valued AREVA’s know-how in consultancy, supervision and human resources development, adding that these experiences would be useful to Viet Nam when it builds its first nuclear power reactor.

AREVA would have the opportunity to co-operate with Vietnamese partners in different aspects as Viet Nam plans to construct a series of nuclear power plants from now until 2035, said Hao.

Source: Viet Nam News

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