The Westinghouse Solution
Nuclear power plant upratings are a timely and costeffective way to provide incremental electric generation. Westinghouse has successfully implemented more than 150 plant upratings, providing more than 5000 MWe of additional power generation.
Westinghouse currently offers three types of uprating programs:
- Measurement uncertainty recapture (MUR) power uprate: X < 2%
- Taking advantage of improved power measurements to lower the power calorimetric uncertainty.
- Stretch power uprate (SPU): 2% < X < 7%
- Raising power to within the design capacity of the plant.
- Extended power uprate (EPU): X > 7%
- May require significant modifications to major balance-of-plant (BOP) equipment (e.g., high-pressure turbines, condensate pumps and motors, main generators and/or transformers).
Customer Benefits
An increase in the nuclear steam supply system not only garners additional revenue from increased power generation, but it also updates the design and licensing basis of a plant in many areas by utilizing enhanced analytical methods and upgrading equipment. An uprate can also provide cost savings and synergies with other Long Term Operation (LTO) asset management programs and can help fund future programs. An uprating provides a cost-effective opportunity to assess and use design and analysis margin in a beneficial way.
Uprate Program Description
The scope of work in an uprating program generally covers five major areas: uprate decision process, project development and management, engineering analysis, regulatory approval and licensing, and implementation. Westinghouse has the experience and capability to provide support in each of these areas.
Westinghouse recommends a three-phase process for power uprates, one that has resulted in a 100 percent success rate for achieving upratings at plants throughout the world.
The process is summarized in the illustration on the next page. Each phase is structured to develop specific information that will support decision-making and outline the basis for the uprate project. However, there is considerable flexibility in the way an uprating is conducted. The program structure can be readily modified to accommodate an individual plant’s needs.
Systematic work planning optimizes the uprating and also allows for integration with other LTO asset management programs such as equipment efficiency upgrades, license renewal and life extension and fuel cycle management.
Experience
- MURs completed
- 51 American pressurized water reactors (PWRs)
- 14 European PWRs
- 2 Asian PWRs
- SPUs completed
- 39 American PWRs
- 4 European PWRs
- 4 Asian PWRs
- EPUs completed
- 18 American PWRs
- 12 European PWRs
- 11 European BWRs
www.westinghousenuclear.com/operating-plants/long-term-operations
