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NPI 20091201 Dec 2009

The document outlines the Nuclear Power International conference held in December 2009, focusing on advancements and opportunities in the nuclear industry, including maintenance, upgrades, and new plant construction. It highlights the importance of aging nuclear reactors in North America and the potential for increased efficiency through upgrades and replacements. The conference features various sessions on nuclear business, project management, and the future of nuclear energy, emphasizing the industry's growth and technological developments.

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41 views38 pages

NPI 20091201 Dec 2009

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nuclear A

BUILD. UPGRADE. MAINTAIN.

www.NuclearPowerInternational.com

December 14-16, 2010

Orange County Convention Center, West Halls

Orlando, Florida USA

Owned & Produced by: Flagship Media Sponsors: Co-located with:

nuclear
POWER
INTERNATIONAL®

nuclear A

REACTORS RECYCLING TRANSMISSION

NUCLEAR FUEL SUPPLIES RENEWABLE ENERGIES
& SERVICES & DISTRIBUTION

Beyond 2010: Fueling the Future

Energy is our future, don’t waste it! - © Copyright 2009 AREVA NP Inc. - Photography: Kim Fetrow, ImageWorks Media Group
Designed for performance. Built for reliability.
Introducing AREVA’s ATRIUM™ 10XM
advanced BWR fuel. Extracts more energy
from your fuel – with innovative features to
reach zero-failure operations.
More Power
Significant improvement in critical power capability
Low pressure drop design
Increased fuel weight to minimize reload batch
size requirements
More Dependability
Improved FUELGUARD™ filter Improved FUELGUARD™ filter

Proven cladding design and defect-free pellets

Debris-free manufacturing and effective inlet ﬁltering
Corrosion-resistant materials

www.areva.com

nuclear A

nuclear
DECEMBER 2009 : Volume 2 No. 4

POWER Conference Schedule At-a-Glance, page 2

INTERNATIONAL ®

Doing Nuclear
Business In China

EUCG Going Global

Nine Mile Point gained
20 MW with Improved
Condenser Performance
B&W on the North
American Nuclear Market

A Publication

Contents | Zoom in | Zoom out For navigation instructions please click here Search Issue | Next Page
nuclear A

Bechtel Nuclear: Building on the Past

Powering the Future
Bechtel Power has been the active world leader in the nuclear industry for more than 60 years with
more than 74,000 MW of nuclear design, construction and operating plant support experience. We
have designed and/or built more than half of the nuclear power plants in the United States and 150
nuclear power plants worldwide.

Today, we are leading the nuclear renaissance in the United States. From plant restarts and
completions to steam generator replacements and extended power uprates, we’re helping
customers get the most out of existing assets. We also offer a full range of services for new-
generation nuclear plants, including construction and operating license applications, EPC, and
owner’s engineer/program management.

BECHTEL POWER
Frederick, Maryland, USA ◆ 1-800-946-3632 ◆ bechtel.com
_________

San Francisco ◆ London ◆ New Delhi

nuclear A

Chinese workers at Westinghouse construction site. Story page 28.

Photo by Westinghouse, courtesy U.S. Commercial Service. nuclear
NUCLEUS
POWER
10 The Future of
Spent Nuclear Fuel
The U.S. is still in pursuit of a comprehensive policy for
INTERNATIONAL ®
used nuclear fuel.

12 Cross-Industry Project
Management Lessons Learned
The nuclear industry can learn from the “roller coaster
ride” other industries have taken on project activity and
capital spending.

14 Decommissioning
Bunkers at Hunterston A
The preferred strategy for decommissioning Hunterston
A is deferred site clearance, allowing for total site
clearance about 100 years after cessation of generation. TECHNOLOGY

16 Crossing International Boundaries

The Electric Utility Costs Group Nuclear Committee
recognizes the significant positives of “going global.”
24 Global Coordination at ITER
I/T resources must deliver a unified vision at
the world’s largest fusion research project.

CASE STUDY NUCLEAR WORLD

20 Cleanliness Program Improved

Condenser Performance
Nine Mile Point gained 20 MW of generating
28 Doing Nuclear Business in China
Westinghouse turned to the U.S. Commercial
Service to secure a $5 billion contract for four
capability and saved $1 million. nuclear plants.

DEPARTMENTS
2 • Enrichment 5 • Nuclear Events 8 • News 32 • Data Points
4 • Fuel for Thought 6 • At the Core 22 • Products

DECEMBER | 2009

1421 South Sheridan Road SUBSCRIBER SERVICE VICE PRESIDENT, NORTH AMERICAN POWER
Tulsa, OK 74112 P.O. Box 3271, Northbrook, IL 60065 GENERATION GROUP—Richard Baker
P.O. Box 1260, Tulsa, OK 74101 Phone: (847) 559-7501 (918) 831-9187 [email protected]
Telephone: (918) 835-3161 Fax: (847) 291-4816
Fax: (918) 831-9834 CHAIRMAN—Frank T. Lauinger
E-mail: [email protected] PRESIDENT/CEO—Robert F. Biolchini
E-mail: [email protected]
World Wide Web: http://www.power-eng.com CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICE/SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT—Mark C. Wilmoth
POWER ENGINEERING MAGAZINE
NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL —David Wagman, Chief Editor CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS—PennWell Corp.
—Nancy Spring, Editor (918) 831-9866 [email protected] 1421 S. Sheridan Road, Tulsa, OK 74112
(918) 831-9492 [email protected] —Nancy Spring, Senior Editor Telephone: (918) 835-3161
(918) 831-9492 [email protected]
PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR—Deanna Priddy Taylor NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL is published 4 times
(918) 832-9378 [email protected] —Sharryn Harvey, On-line Editor a year by PennWell Corp., 1421 S. Sheridan Rd., Tulsa,
(918) 832-9339 [email protected] OK 74112; phone (918) 835-3161. ©Copyright 2009 by
PennWell Corp. (Registered in U.S. Patent Trademark Office).
PRODUCTION MANAGER—Dorothy Davis Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use,
AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER—Linda Thomas
or the internal or personal use of specific clients, is granted
NATIONAL BRAND MANAGER—Rick Huntzicker SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT & BOOK by POWER ENGINEERING, ISSN 0032-5961, provided that
(770) 578-2688 [email protected] PUBLISHING—Gloria Adams the appropriate fee is paid directly to Copyright Clearance
MARKETING MANAGER—Wendy Lissau Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923 USA 508-
(918) 832-9391 [email protected] 750-5400. Prior to photocopying items for educational use,
contact Copyright Clearance Center.

DECEMBER 2009 NUCLEARPOWERINTERNATIONAL : 1

nuclear A

ENRICHMENT

Nuclear Business
Nancy Spring, Editor
While the new nuclear build may grab the headlines—just Alloy 690. Reimels said units built with the 690 material have
look at our cover photo this month and our Nuclear World been running about 15 years with no signs of stress corrosion
story about Westinghouse in China—maintenance and repairs cracking so far.
represent a great business and technological opportunity. The Davis-Besse plant in Ohio has just ordered steam
In North America alone, there are 124 aging nuclear reactors. generator replacements from B&W and Progress Energy’s
Nuclear plant operators are busy uprating, upgrading and Crystal River received two units in October, but most of the
extending their units’ operating license lives—good news for reactors in North America have already completed their steam
electric customers and businesses that can tap into the market. generator replacement. On the Canadian side, B&W is building
When the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission renewed the replacement steam generators for Bruce Station and that will
operating licences of FirstEnergy’s Beaver Valley Units 1 & 2 probably take care of replacements north of the border as well.
for another 20 years, moving their expiration dates out to 2036 Uprating a nuclear plant is also a good value proposition.
and 2047 respectively, that brought the total number of U.S. Because power from the older reactors is fairly low-cost,
reactors with license renewals to 57 out of 104. completing a 100-MW uprate at an existing nuclear power plant
“Most of these reactors were put into service prior to 1980 is less expensive than building a 100 MW natural gas plant or
so they are getting old,” said Richard Reimels, president of The any other kind of generation.
Babcock & Wilcox Company Nuclear Power Generator Group At the NUCLEAR POWER International conference this
during our interview for this month’s Fuel for Thought. “One of year, many of our sessions are about the business of nuclear
our key focuses is to keep them running. Like an old car or an power. (See Conference at a Glance below.) Clearly, there are
old house, they need a lot of repairs and maintenance.” opportunities on both sides of the equation, old plants and
Replacing steam generators is one of the most common new. To paraphrase the president and CEO of Southern Nuclear
projects at the aging plants. The new steam generators have Operating Co., Jim Miller, if you’re looking for a stimulus
been redesigned to incorporate stronger materials such as package, all you’ve got to do is look at nuclear power.

NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL / CONFERENCE AT A GLANCE

Sunday, December 6, 2009 – COMPETITIVE POWER COLLEGE Pre-Conference Workshops HALF-DAY WORKSHOPS TWO-DAY COURSES

CPC 101 (Room N102) CPC 102 (Room N103) CPC 103 (Room N107) IAn CPC 104 (Room N108) CPC 402 (Room N101) CPC 403 (Room N115)
Basic Gas Turbine Understanding Fossil Power Introduction to the Design, Turbine Generator Intellectual Property
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Metallurgy Plant Performance Using Operation and Evaluation Power Plant Construction 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Management – A Guide Torsional Vibration Fundamentals for Renewable
& Component Repair First Principles Models of Parabolic Trough Solar to Survival Failures Energy Developers, Licensors
Power Plants and Licensees
Monday, December 7, 2009 – COMPETITIVE POWER COLLEGE Pre-Conference Workshops WORKSHOPS HALF-DAY CPC 201(Room
N109) Heat Rate
CPC 503 (Room CPC 504 (Room N102) Awareness &
CPC 502 N101) Key Turbine Inlet CPC 505 Carbon Reduction
CPC 301 CPC 302 (Room CPC 303Turbine
(Room CPC 304 (Room CPC 501 (Room N102) Considerations & Cooling: The Energy (Room N113)
(Room N103) N107) Essential N108) N111) Lost (Room N101) Temperature 1:00 PM –
Best Practices in Solution to Increase Combustion
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Capital Project Practices for Generator Efﬁciency: Finding 8:00 AM – Why Good Measure-
Analysis Outage Failures: Lost Efﬁciency: 12:00 PM Projects Don’t ment & Data 5:00 PM EPC Contracting Power Output, Lower Dynamics in
Prediction & Finding Get Built for Wind Farms Emissions, Decrease Gas Turbine
at Power Plants Management Prevention Acquisition in (Developer’s Carbon Footprint & Power Plants
Power Plants Perspective) Improve Heat Rate
Tuesday, December 8, 2009

9:30 AM – 11:30 AM OPENING KEYNOTE ADDRESS – Mr. Michael Yackira, Mr. Pierre L. Gauthier, Mr. Keith Rattie,
Las Vegas Hilton, Barron Room President & Cheif Executive Officer, NV Energy President & CEO, ALSTOM Canada Chairman, President & CEO, Questar Corp.
Inc. & ALSTOM US Inc.
Conference Tracks MEGA-SESSION (Room N115)
& Sessions

1:30 PM – 3:30 PM Economics of Nuclear Power – Panel Discussion

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

7:30 AM – 9:00 AM NETWORKING BREAKFAST – Las Vegas Hilton, Ballroom C

Conference Tracks
& Sessions TRACK I (ROOM N115) TRACK II (ROOM N116)

9:30 AM – 11:30 AM Construction Management: Delivering On-time and On-budget Projects Vendor 101: How to Be Successful – Panel Discussion

1:30 PM – 3:30 PM Beyond the Nuclear Island… Nuclear Lessons Learned

Thursday, December 10, 2009

7:30 AM – 9:00 AM NETWORKING BREAKFAST – Las Vegas Hilton, Ballroom C

MEGA-SESSION (Room N115)

9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Completing the Fuel Cycle – Panel Discussion

2 : NUCLEARPOWERINTERNATIONAL DECEMBER 2009

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NO C OMPANY IS MORE C OMMIT TED TO

supporting operating

W E S T I N G H O U S E E L E C T R I C C O M PA N Y L L C
nuclear plants.
Westinghouse supplied the world’s first full-scale commercial
nuclear power plant in 1957 in Shippingport, Pennsylvania (USA).
Today, Westinghouse technology is the basis for approximately
one-half of the world’s operating nuclear plants, including
60 percent of those in the United States. With global pressurized
water reactor (PWR) and boiling water reactor (BWR) technology
and expertise, and skilled employees at locations around the world,
we provide outage services and component inspections;
upratings; major plant capital improvements, such as I&C systems
upgrades, and other services that ensure safe and efficient
nuclear plant operations.

Westinghouse is committed to helping provide safe, clean and

reliable electricity.

Check us out at www.westinghousenuclear.com

nuclear A

FUEL FOR THOUGHT

be part of that. Today I’d like to focus

on the other market, the existing fleet of
reactors.
There are 104 nuclear reactors
operating in the U.S. and they produce
about 20 percent of our electricity today.
In Canada, where we also do a lot of
work, there are 20 reactors in operation
and they probably produce a little higher
percentage. In Ontario, for instance,
about 50 percent of their power comes
from nuclear. Most of these reactors were
put into service prior to 1980 so they are
getting old. And most of them are now
getting a license extension. They can get a
20-year lifetime extension that will drive
most of these plants to an average age of
over 60 years. One of our key focuses is to
keep them running. Like an old car or an
old house, they need a lot of repairs and
maintenance.
One of the issues that we’re seeing now
is for materials that have been irradiated,
A Babcock & Wilcox worker adjusts a tube support plate assembly in a nuclear we are seeing different types of material
steam generator at the B&W facility in Cambridge, Ontario. Photo, B&W. fatigue. We have labs that can analyze
the impact of that so we help support the
utilities in fi nding ways to ensure that

The Commercial these plants can go for another 20 or even

40 years.
We do a lot of work on steam generators
and the other components. Most units

Nuclear Market An interview with Rich Reimels, President,

come down for inspection either once a
year or once every 18 months. We go in
and inspect that equipment to see how
well it’s holding up and what kind of
Nuclear Power Generation Group, Babcock & Wilcox maintenance or repairs they need.
In the replacement market, one of the
By Nancy Spring, Editor
things the utilities in the U.S. have had to
Richard E. Reimels is the president of The Babcock & Wilcox Company Nuclear do is replace the steam generators as they
Power Generator Group Inc. (NPG), headquartered in Lynchburg, Va. NPG pro- got older. B&W has built replacements
vides services and components to the worldwide commercial nuclear utility indus- for all the technologies, like the B&W
try. Prior to being named to his current position in January 2007, Mr. Reimels was technologies that were built in the ’60s
president of B&W Canada, responsible for the design and supply of nuclear and fossil and ’70s, the Westinghouse technologies
generator equipment and services. and another company called Combustion
Engineering.
NPI: Babcock & Wilcox (B&W) is one of the few companies that continued And they’re not just replacements in
manufacturing heavy components for the nuclear industry all these years. What kind. They are redesigned. The utilities
do you have planned for the future? found materials that would last longer
Reimels: In commercial nuclear, we look at it as two markets. One is the new-build and to put those in you have to redesign
market—the industry calls it the nuclear renaissance—and our modular reactor would the entire steam generator.
[CONTINUED ON PG. 27]
4 : NUCLEARPOWERINTERNATIONAL DECEMBER 2009

nuclear A

NUCLEAR EVENTS

NUCLEAR POWER International will be in Orlando, Florida, U.S. ,

next year, from Dec. 14 - 16.
DECEMBER | 2009
8-10 PennWell NUCLEAR POWER 14-18 International Conference on Effective Nuclear
International Regulatory Systems: Further Enhancing the
Las Vegas, Nevada Global Nuclear Safety and Security Regime
www.nuclearpowerinternational.com Cape Town, South Africa
http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/Meetings/Announcements.
8-10 PennWell POWER-GEN International asp?ConfID=35791
_____________
Las Vegas, Nevada
S M T W TH F S
www.power-gen.com
1 2 3 4 5
7-11 International Conference on Fast
Reactors and Related Fuel Cycles: 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Challenges and Opportunities FR09
Kyoto, Japan 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/Meetings/
Announcements.asp?ConfID=35426
________________________ 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

27 28 29 30 31

JANUARY | 2010 S M T W TH F S

26-27 Nuclear Power Asia 2010 1 2

Shangri-La, Kuala Lampur, Malaysia

http://www.nuclearpowerasia.com/Event/ 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Home_5356.aspx
___________
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
29-31 International Conference on Nuclear,
Plasma and Radiological Engineering 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

Cape Town, South Africa

http://www.waset.org/conferences/2010/capetown/ 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

icnpre/
____
31

FEBRUARY | 2010 S M T W TH F S

26-28 2010 International Conference on Nuclear and 1 2 3 4 5 6

Radiological Engineering (ICNRE 2010)
Singapore, Singapore 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
http://www.iacsit.org/icnre/index.htm
14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

MARCH | 2010 S M T W TH F S

14-18 International Conference on 1 2 3 4 5 6

Human Resource Development For

7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Introducing and Expanding Nuclear
Power Programs
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Abu Dhabi, UAE
21 22 23 24 25 26 27

21-24 1st International Nuclear and

28 29 30 31
Renewable Energy Conference
Amman, Jordan
http://inrec10.inrec-conf.org/

DECEMBER 2009 NUCLEARPOWERINTERNATIONAL : 5

nuclear A

AT THE CORE

Political Parallels
More than 30 years ago, Carter labeled
nuclear power “the energy source of last
resort.” Today, the Global Nuclear Ener-
gy Partnership (GNEP), an international
By Dr. A. David Rossin

A
program for research and development of
fter last year’s election, a new crowd took over in Wash- new designs and fuel cycles, has had its
ington, D.C., and one of the fi rst signals the nuclear lobby funding cut and the remains of GNEP is
saw was how smoothly Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) killed told that the mere existence of separated
Yucca Mountain. Frankly, it was hard to figure how a pro- plutonium, such as in Areva’s La Hague
gram that Congress had supported and utility customers reprocessing plant in France, is unaccept-
had generously funded for three decades could be turned able because it might become a prolifera-
around without lengthy debate and negotiations. But it tion risk.
sure happened! No nuclear plant ordered after 1973
Industry reps in Washington heard a number of stories was ever completed. Today, new plants to
about newly elected senators and even congressmen who be built with designs already certified for
visited the new majority leader. Asked about their goals safety on previously approved sites face
and interests, Sen. Reid let it be known that he didn’t want much in return, but that extended NRC hearings.
he would be pleased if they did not interfere with Nevada business as he shut down the Happily, there is one bit of good news
Yucca Mountain Project. that might improve nuclear energy’s fu-
As new nuclear power plant licensing applications reach public hearing stages, groups ture. The White House announced two
are there to challenge how a nuclear plant can be allowed to be built “when they don’t experienced candidates to fi ll empty seats
even know how to dispose of their waste.” We’ve obviously known for a long time how on the NRC.
to dispose of nuclear waste and on three occasions the Atomic Energy Commission George Apostolakis is a professor of
or Nuclear Regulator Commission (NRC) conducted an extensive Waste Confi dence nuclear science and engineering at the
Hearing that found that indeed, the required confidence was in hand. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
But now, say the intervenors, even if a technical case is offered, it collapses under and a fellow of the American Nuclear
the fact that people don’t want it and can stop it, even in a state where more than 100 Society, and William Magwood served
nuclear explosions took place in the same rocky soil in which magnificently engineered under former Presidents Bill Clinton and
canisters will seal radioactive waste forever or at least for 10,000 years. George W. Bush as director of nuclear en-
Philosopher George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are con- ergy with the Department of Energy.
demned to repeat it.” His target is decision-makers who have not done their history This is an important step and it is long
homework. Decisions for the Yucca Mountain repository parallel the political history overdue.
of the 1970s, when President Jimmy Carter became convinced that we could prevent
proliferation. Author: Dr. A. David Rossin has worked with trade
President Carter announced his “comprehensive strategy” in 1977, during his fi rst associations, companies, national laboratories and
100 days in office, catching the nuclear world almost completely by surprise. At the universities on nuclear and advanced energy tech-
time, our fi rst large commercial reprocessing plant in Barnwell, S.C., was ready for nology, non-proliferation, radioactive waste man-
testing with cold uranium and an important new licensing hurdle lay ahead: a generic agement and low-level radiation issues. Dr. Rossin
environmental statement on reprocessing spent fuel and recycling the plutonium. The served as president of the American Nuclear Society
hearing board had been appointed and was laying out its hearing schedule for yet from 1992-93 and as U. S. DOE assistant secretary
another acronym: “GESMO,” the Generic Environmental Statement on Mixed Oxide for nuclear energy from 1986-1987. He was the di-
Fuels. rector of the Nuclear Safety Analysis Center at EPRI
The Carter White House made it clear that they had no intention of letting GESMO from 1981 to 1986. Since 1996, Dr. Rossin has been
run on and on. Astonished nuclear energy people watched from the sidelines as hopes a Center Affiliated Scholar at the Center for Interna-
for new plant orders waned. tional Security and Cooperation at Stanford Univer-
As with Sen. Reid and Yucca Mountain, that ship had sailed. France, Britain and sity, where he is researching and writing a book on
Japan went ahead with their fuel cycle work despite U. S. pressure. And historians will the U. S. policy decision in 1977 to abandon repro-
try to fi nd evidence that Carter’s strategy had any impact on proliferation. cessing spent nuclear reactor fuel.

6 : NUCLEARPOWERINTERNATIONAL DECEMBER 2009

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Building Excellence—
Through Commitment to Nuclear
Shaw’s integrated nuclear solutions provide
clean, reliable, carbon-free energy and economic growth
to communities throughout the U.S. and around the world.
Shaw’s power uprate projects have added more than
2,100 MW to the U.S. grid. We provide maintenance
and engineering services to more than half of the nuclear
plants in the U.S., instilling a safety culture second to none.
And, Shaw is executing new AP1000™ contracts with
Westinghouse Electric Company for six units in the U.S.
and four units in China, offering the world’s safest and
most advanced nuclear plant technology.

For a fully integrated provider of Nuclear power

solutions, choose excellence. Choose Shaw.
www.shawgrp.com
AP1000 Rendering

Sanmen project photos used with permission of site owner.

18M122008D

nuclear A

NEWS

WORLD NEWS
EdF/Constellation
deal goes through
State regulators in Maryland have granted Electricité de France
(EdF) conditional rights to take over part of Constellation Energy.
EdF’s bid for 49.99 percent of Constellation Energy’s nuclear
generation was slowed down by issues related to Constellation’s
state-regulated subsidiary, Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE).
In order to allow the transaction, the Maryland Public Service
Commission had to determine whether it would be “consistent
with the public interest, convenience and necessity, including
benefits and no harm to consumers.”
EdF made a number of commitments to the state at a total cost
of $110.5 million, including a new $20 million visitor center at
Calvert Cliffs nuclear power plant. The commission said that EdF
would also have to make a one-time payment of $110.5 million to
BGE’s residential customers.
Plans to build a new reactor at Calvert Cliffs by EdF and Calvert Cliffs nuclear power plant. Photo, Constellation Energy Group Inc.
Constellation through their UniStar joint venture are now on track.
The Maryland Public Service Commission passed a certificate “What makes us somewhat unique is that we have a four-
of need for the reactor in June and the Nuclear Regulatory unit model,” said UniStar Nuclear Energy President and CEO
Commission is still working on its assessment of the Areva EPR George Vanderheyden in a recent interview with Nuclear Power
reactor design and a combined construction and operating license International’s sister publication, Power Engineering magazine.
application that has already been submitted. The U.S. Department “Our intention is to build a minimum of four identical nuclear
of Energy (DOE) has accepted the project as one of four fi nalists power plants at various places in the country and we want to do that
for a DOE loan guarantee. about a year or two apart. And the plans will be standardized.”
Calvert Cliffs could be just the start for UniStar.

Hydro-Quebec to acquire NB Power assets

The premiers of the When complete, the exchange will mark NB Power’s exit
Canadian provinces of from nuclear generation, Point Lepreau being its only reactor.
Quebec and New Bruns- Hydro-Quebec meanwhile would double its nuclear generating
wick have signed a memo- capacity to 1,260 MWe as the acquisition joins Gentilly 2. The
randum of understand- two Candu-6 units are considered twins and Hydro-Quebec
ing (MOU) under which has already decided to refurbish Gentilly 2 as an alternative to
Hydro-Quebec will ac- closing it in 2011.
quire most of the assets A coal-fi red power plant at Belledune and an oil-fi red plant
of New Brunswick Power, at Coleson Cove will continue to be owned and operated by
Point Lepreau nuclear power plant. Photo NB Power.
including the refurbished the province of New Brunswick and would supply electricity to
Point Lepreau nuclear power plant. Hydro-Quebec under the terms of tolling agreements. Under the
Hydro-Quebec would pay an amount equivalent to NB terms of the MOU, Hydro-Quebec could direct New Brunswick
Power’s debt, approximately C$4.75 billion (US$4.4 billion), to shut down these plants with one year’s prior notice.
thereby completely eliminating the deficit. The majority of NB Power’s assets could be transferred
The Point Lepreau nuclear power plant (after the completion to Hydro-Quebec by the end of March 2010. Assuming the
of its refurbishment), the hydro facilities, the peaking power successful completion of the refurbishment of Point Lepreau
plants and the transmission and distribution assets of NB Power and the restart of the plant, Point Lepreau would be taken on
are part of the proposed transaction. Hydro-Quebec would not by Hydro-Quebec toward the end of January 2011. Once the
assume any liabilities with respect to the Point Lepreau refur- transaction is completed, NB Power would continue to operate as
bishment project, which prepares the reactor for another 30 a separate entity, using its existing name and corporate identity.
years of service.

8 : NUCLEARPOWERINTERNATIONAL DECEMBER 2009

nuclear A

NEWS

Using a $15 billion plasma device de-

EDF/E.ON plan swap Toshiba opens new signed by ITER scientists, the project will
Electricité de France SA, Europe’s biggest engineering facility work to demonstrate the scientific and
generator, and E.ON AG, Germany’s largest Toshiba began operations at the new technological feasibility of fusion power.
utility, agreed to swap assets to cut debt and engineering facilities at its main nuclear (See story on page 24 for more on ITER.)
meet antitrust regulations. power engineering center in Yokohama, The U.S. contribution to ITER’s con-
E.ON will get the 35 percent it doesn’t Japan. The new facility will be responsi- struction is a DOE Office of Science project
own in French energy supplier SNET and ble for engineering work to construct two consisting of procurement of hardware (in-
rights to 800 MW of nuclear output in advanced boiling water reactors (ABWRs) cluding supporting R&D and design); as-
return for giving up 1,215 MW of atomic for the South Texas Project in the U.S. signment of personnel (U.S. engineers and
and coal-fired generation in Germany. Construction of the facility at the Isogo scientists) to the ITER site; and cash con-
Both utilities are seeking to sell more Nuclear Engineering Centre (IEC) began tributions for the U.S. share of common
than 15 billion euros of assets to pay down in October 2008. The IEC is Toshiba’s expenses such as personnel infrastructure,
debt accrued by buying up rivals. E.ON has core facility for promoting nuclear power assembly and installation.
now divested more than 4,400 MW of the plant engineering work for boiling water
5,000 MW it pledged to end a European reactors, fast breeder reactors and the Japan’s Amano named
Commission probe and avoid a potential nuclear fuel cycle. new IAEA chief
penalty for violating European Union an- The International Atomic Energy Agen-
titrust rules. The transaction is still subject Luvata wins cy (IAEA) formally appointed Japanese
to approval by regulators and the compa- contract for ITER diplomat Yukiya Amano as its new director
nies’ supervisory boards. Luvata, the global metals-manufactur- general of the U.N. nu-
ing and technology company, was award- clear watchdog. Amano
MHI opens turbine plant ed a $26 million contract in early Octo- is replacing Egypt’s Mo-
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (MHI) ber by the U.S. Department of Energy to hamed ElBaradei, who is
has completed the construction of a new supply superconductive material for the ending a 12-year run as
manufacturing plant at its Takasago Ma- International Thermonuclear Experimen- head of the IAEA.
chinery Works in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, tal Reactor (ITER) project. Amano has held in-
dedicated to the production of steam tur- The contract was awarded to Luvata creasingly senior posi-
bine rotors for nuclear power. The new facil- Waterbury Inc., a subsidiary of Luvata tions in the Japanese
ity is capable of the integrated production of Fabrication North America, to supply Foreign Ministry since
rotors, from material processing to finished materials for the world’s largest nuclear starting there in 1972. Japanese diplomat Yukiya
Amano, new director
products, at a rate of 10 units per year. fusion initiative. He has had extensive ex- general of the IAEA. Photo,
The new plant will play a key role for ad- Luvata will be responsible for supply- perience in disarmament, Dean Calma/IAEA.
vanced pressurized water reactors in the U.S. ing 86 percent of the U.S. commitment non-proliferation and nu-
and Europe by producing one of the world’s for superconductive wire and copper wire clear energy policy and also served in the
largest nuclear power plant turbines, featur- needed to complete the project over the Japanese embassies in Washington, Brus-
ing 70-inch-class turbine blades. next two years. sels and Vientiane.

Areva centrifuge cascade will spin by end of year

Full testing of the new Georges Besse to repair the welds in question.
II uranium enrichment plant entered its Located at the Tricastin nuclear site
fi nal phase in early November and Areva between the Drôme and Vaucluse de-
said that the fi rst centrifuge cascade will partments in Provence, France, the plant,
begin spinning at the end of the year, which has been under construction for
with full production capacity targeted for three years, will ultimately consist of two
2016. enrichment units. Thanks to its modular
Work is proceeding according to plan, structure, overall production will reach
despite complications. Areva recently 7.5 million separative work units (SWU)
discovered anomalies in inspections of a per year in 2016, two years ahead of
certain number of non-conforming welds schedule. Areva supplies nearly one fourth
The Tricastin nuclear site, location of Areva’s Georges Besse II. but a corrective action plan was rolled out of all enrichment services worldwide.
Photo, N. Spring, Nuclear Power International.

nuclear A

NUCLEUS

The Future of
Spent Nuclear Fuel
U.S. National Nuclear Waste Policy and the
Pursuit of a Comprehensive Solution
By Christopher F. Tierney & Patrick M. Jensen, The Kenrich Group LLC

A
t nearly 20 percent of our current electricity production, U.S. A tunnel boring machine reaching daylight in April 1997 at Yucca
Mountain. In 1987, Congress directed DOE to study Yucca Mountain,
energy policy must include commercial nuclear power to satisfy
choosing that site from three under consideration. Photo, U.S. DOE.
our increasing demand for electricity over the next century,
yet certain political and technological barriers remain for an only a temporary solution due to continual
otherwise promising source of clean energy. growth in inventories of spent fuel as the
New technologies are being explored for constructing the next plants continue to operate. The next step
generation of commercial nuclear power plants, but some of the was “dry storage” technology, which en-
same issues that have plagued the country’s older legacy reactors tails the transfer of sufficiently cooled spent
for the past three decades will continue to affect the industry for fuel from the pools into vaults or dry casks.
the foreseeable future—in particular, what to do with spent (or Stored in a protected area on the site of the
more correctly, used) nuclear fuel. nuclear power plant, the dry casks provide
For years, the policy set forth by the U.S. government, through the Department of Energy safe, contained storage for decades.
(DOE), was to establish a permanent geologic repository in which to store spent fuel from the But implementing a dry storage system
nation’s commercial nuclear reactors. Only very recently, under the Obama administration, is very costly. The Nuclear Energy Institute
has that course of action been called into question, if not potentially dismissed entirely as an states that it costs approximately $10 million
option. But whatever goals the administration may have in mind for setting a new course in to $20 million to build a dry storage facility
nuclear waste management, it may ultimately find that the most prudent approach may be and related modifications add another
what has been the aim all along—a central repository to dispose of spent nuclear fuel. $5 million to $7 million annually for the
Certainly, much of the appeal for new nuclear generation is explained by concerns operations and maintenance of dry storage.
over man-made carbon-emissions and the potential impact on climate change, since Such costs add up quickly, considering that
nuclear generation is a source of power with near-zero carbon emissions. Nevertheless, there are 104 commercial nuclear power
electricity produced by nuclear power does result in a relatively small but highly reactors in the U.S. In fact, DOE estimates
consequential amount of waste product, spent nuclear fuel. Two predominant approaches the costs incurred by the industry to date at
to managing spent nuclear fuel waste, reprocessing and permanent storage, have been $11 billion as a result of its non-performance
part of the worldwide commercial nuclear power industry for many years, but even under the standard contracts with utilities,
after decades of consideration, the U.S. has apparently not been able to defi nitively assuming DOE begins picking up spent fuel
make up its mind as to which approach it should take. in 2020. According to DOE estimates, that
liability will increase an additional $500
U.S. WASTE POLICY HISTORY million each year that DOE continues to
Though reprocessing was intended when commercial nuclear plants were first built, not take spent fuel. It is not surprising that
President Jimmy Carter eliminated that option in the late 1970s. The decision effectively more than 70 utilities have filed suit against
kept reprocessing off the table as an option and led to the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of DOE since the time the 1998 contractual
1982, which required each utility to sign a standard contract with the U.S. DOE, whereby deadline passed.
the government would remove spent fuel from nuclear plant sites beginning in 1998. The Industry observers heightened their
Nuclear Waste Policy Act established that the method for handling spent nuclear fuel in the expectations that DOE would eventually
U.S. was to ship it to a centralized repository. To fund DOE’s efforts, each utility would pay open a repository after the location at Yucca
quarterly fees to DOE based on the amount of electricity generated, about $8 million per Mountain, Nev., was formally approved
year for a typical 1,000 MW plant. by President George W. Bush in 2002
What happened, though, was something entirely different. DOE never completed the re- and a design certification application was
pository and no spent fuel has been removed from the nuclear plant sites under the contract. submitted to the Nuclear Regulatory
Confronted with mounting inventories in onsite wet storage pools, utilities had to find an- Commission (NRC) in 2008. Despite these
other way of safely holding their spent fuel until DOE would perform. While some utilities signs that the federal government might yet
have been able to expand the capacity of their storage pools, in most cases, doing so provided take responsibility for the industry’s spent
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fuel according to contracts with utilities ages beginning in 1998—the latest date by Earlier this year, in an attempt to help
(albeit untimely), President Barack Obama which DOE was contractually obligated to solve the political and logistical issues sur-
has all but reversed course on U.S. national begin taking spent fuel. More than 10 years rounding a national policy for spent fuel
spent fuel policy. In early 2009, the funding later, only a dozen or so cases have reached storage, a consortium of Midwestern univer-
for the Yucca Mountain repository was trial and even fewer have court-issued deci- sities professors released a white paper, ‘Plan
eliminated from the federal budget but for a sions. Even with the court decisions in favor D’ for Spent Nuclear Fuel. The white paper
relatively miniscule amount needed to keep of the utilities, virtually no damages have explored several options: send spent fuel to
the design review process active at the NRC. been paid to date due to continuing appeals a long-term underground repository, pur-
At the same time, Obama announced plans by the government to higher courts. In fact, sue reprocessing, maintain spent fuel in dry
to form a “blue ribbon panel” to study what one case currently under appellate review is storage at nuclear plant sites for an extended
to do with commercial spent nuclear fuel subject to a jurisdictional dispute, the out- period while alternative solutions are further
and recommend a course of action. come of which could have industry-wide evaluated, or simply phase out commer-
It seems a foregone conclusion that the implications. cial nuclear power altogether and abandon
panel will consider reprocessing as an option The ongoing litigation has been costly to further consideration of reprocessing. Of
for spent fuel. Current and expected future the industry and taxpayers. Overall, about these options, the conclusion the professors
technologies point to new efficiencies from 10 cases have settled, with about 50 cases reached was to continue to pursue at-plant
reprocessing. And, of course, other countries still active. According to Deputy Assistant dry storage, allowing time to evaluate other
around the world have been recycling spent Attorney General Michael Hertz in House options in the coming decades, if not cen-
fuel for decades. But there are drawbacks. Budget Committee testimony earlier this turies—an approach they labeled “Plan D.”
Reprocessing is expensive and currently year, these efforts have cost the Department Plan D would also entail a radical change
not economical compared to mining new of Justice more than $150 million in to the existing policies between federal and
uranium. Countries currently reprocessing attorney, expert and litigation support state governments and the individual utili-
might not be doing so if their reprocessing fees to defend. For utilities, it costs several ties regarding spent fuel management.
plants were not already a “sunk cost” and million dollars from filing a complaint Plan D, in part, seeks a practical approach
their decommissioning not so expensive. Of through trial, excluding expert witness fees to spent fuel management and storage. Plan
course, reprocessing also does not eliminate and other litigation support costs. (Marcia D acknowledges that most utilities have
the need for permanent waste storage for the Coyle, “Billions in Damages on the Line already implemented dry storage to store
remaining waste—even smaller in amount in Federal Circuit’s Nuclear Fuel Case,” spent fuel that will no longer fit in their storage
but more radiologically active. France, the National Law Journal, Sept. 14, 2009.) In pools. Dry storage has been demonstrated
country with by far the most extensive addition, because of potential legal barriers to be safe and there is vast experience for
reprocessing operations, is pursuing its own to the recovery of interest in damages claims implementing, maintaining and operating
deep geologic repository for remaining against the federal government, until the dry storage installations. While recognizing
wastes, estimated to be in service by 2025. utilities are reimbursed for the expenditures the limitations of dry storage as a long-term
It is apparent that the U.S. is at a they have made to date for storing spent solution, Plan D embraces dry storage as a
crossroads on the question of spent nuclear fuel onsite, the financing costs alone for the means to buy time while other technologies
fuel. Any solution that is chosen today, industry run as much as $200 million to emerge and a coordinated, viable national
whether permanent storage in a repository $300 million a year. policy can be developed and executed.
or pursuing reprocessing, will still require But the authors of Plan D go a step
years of development and implementation. THE FUTURE FOR WASTE POLICY further and propose a complete overhaul
And DOE’s current breach of its contracts Ultimately, although existing processes of the current arrangement between the
to take possession of commercially produced of storing spent fuel in dry casks have be- federal government and the utilities—that
spent fuel further complicates matters. The come a safe and routine operation at nuclear is, transfer responsibility for the long-term
government appears reluctant to pursue plants, the concern by the utilities is a result management and storage of spent fuel from
reasonable settlement terms with many of broken promises and uncertain guidance the federal government to the states and the
utilities in the nuclear industry, presumably on national waste policy. Once reprocessing commercial utilities that produce spent fuel.
because of the substantial liability owed. At was eliminated as an option decades ago, Given the dismay over the more than $25
this point, the government is using every the utilities relied on DOE to take the spent billion that has been paid by the utilities to
means possible in federal court to postpone fuel as it contractually stated it would. Now DOE into the Nuclear Waste Fund with no
reimbursing these utilities for their onsite the utilities are in a situation where the fed- commensurate performance to date, Plan
spent fuel storage costs. eral government is in a holding pattern, very D proposes that the federal government
The first lawsuits addressing DOE’s liabil- possibly having abandoned the direction the remove itself entirely from a management
ity date back to the mid-1990s, with most of government said it would be taking since the role and relegate itself to a regulatory role
the recent group of suits on economic dam- early 1980s. [CONTINUED ON PG. 23]
DECEMBER 2009 NUCLEARPOWERINTERNATIONAL : 11

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Figure 1 THE INTEGRATED PROJECT CONTROLS PROCESS

Contract or retrenching until the worldwide economy
purchase order
Baseline setting Control started to recover.
Today some capital project activity is start-
Schedule management Baseline
Planning & scheduling Schedule control ing to resume in the oil/gas sector, but other
Leading sectors remain slower to recover. The one
metrics
industry that continues to show high levels
Risk analysis of activity is the power sector, especially as
Scope Progress Chanage Contingency Status
development WBS & measurement management management reporting current energy strategy calls for an increased
contingency Lagging
metrics contribution of nuclear power for U.S. en-
ergy needs. This has stimulated a number of
Budgeting and estimating Cost control nuclear projects that are now in the planning
Cost management Baseline Leading stages.
metrics How does the nuclear industry take advan-
tage of recent fluctuations in project delivery
while also taking advantage of the lessons

Cross-Industry that other industries have learned during pe-

riods of peak project growth? What can be

Project Management learned from these other industries and their

roller coaster ride of project activity and capi-
tal spending? One thing is sure, the capital
Lessons Learned project planning and execution industry will
go through cycles and those who can best
The nuclear industry can learn from the “roller coaster ride” other interpret these cycles can benefit in capital
industries have taken on project activity and capital spending. cost savings and shortened execution times.
By Stephen Cabano, President, Pathfinder LLC

F
RECOMMENDATIONS
or the past 15 or 20 years, every industry sector has experienced its Traditional project management tools and
growth and lull periods and consequently a fluctuation of capital techniques assist in selecting the optimum
project investment. capital project portfolio and executing the
The pharmaceutical sector flourished in the early 2000s and is projects more effectively. Many organiza-
now at a low point; the chemical industry has endured several peaks tions have these imbedded into their work
and valleys; the manufacturing industry has been sluggish for a approaches but implement them poorly or
number of years; and in the past five years, the oil sector has sur- inconsistently, which has resulted in projects
vived severe price fluctuations. All of these industries share contrac- being pushed through the approval process
tors and suppliers who are also feeling the pain of the recent “roller with ill-conceived scopes of work, poor ex-
coaster ride” of activity. ecution plans and less than accurate cost and
As the nuclear power sector prepares for the forecasted surge in schedule expectations. The final results have
work, we can benefit from “lessons learned” from other industry sectors and develop our been less than satisfactory because the efforts
strategy around the value-added lessons in planning, resourcing, implementation and ex- encountered numerous project changes dur-
ecution of future power/energy sector capital projects. ing project execution and constant conflict
A number of studies have been conducted in recent years on how to assure effective and with management and contractors.
efficient utilization of an owner or operator’s capital. Industry project management best After some post-project reviews and root-
practices have been established that cross all industry sectors, but in the heat of an active cause analysis, indications were that many of
project environment we often circumvent these best practices due to time constraints, re- these project issues could have been avoided
source limitations or a lack of respect for the benefits of the practice. through well-known, but often misused,
And history now tells us that these best practices are equally as important when capital project management techniques.
spending is high.In the oil sector during the boom in project activity from 2006 through Capital Project Delivery Process – Most
2008, capital project pricing nearly doubled, execution times were pushed out 20 percent industries have well-established owner capi-
to 30 percent longer than planned and safety incidents increased at an alarming level. As tal project delivery processes. These process-
2008 ended and we entered 2009, the bottom dropped out of the oil industry and we saw es were established a number of years ago
project slowdowns or cancellations, massive layoffs, increased claims and owner/operator when the industry last encountered massive

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NUCLEUS

overruns and schedule delays. drawings and specifications. The “play- each defined reporting period and acted on
Benchmarking results indicated that for- book” must be maintained and updated early to not minimize mitigation options.
mal project reviews/approvals at key points in throughout the project to incorporate the They should be incorporated into all revised
the project planning and development stages latest information and alternatives. PEP efforts. Schedules need to be adjusted
would help to minimize project issues dur- accordingly, cost estimates must reflect the
ing execution. These practices have proven PROJECT CONTROL SYSTEMS impact of the mitigation approach and the
to be extremely effective but as we get busier An excellently conceived and planned team needs to be totally aligned regarding
or staff gets cut, we become less committed project can quickly become a nightmare if the approaches agreed upon when address-
to and more complacent about the use and the project team does not consistently and ing the risks.
potential benefits of the process. aggressively oversee the project’s scope, cost, Typical risk management steps include:
All projects, no matter how small or large, schedule, and change status, and proactively • Risk management planning
need to be evaluated using a consistent proj- forecast project deviations early. This allows • Risk identification
ect approach with clearly defined phase de- the project team to be fully aware when the • Qualitative risk analysis
liverables and decision gates. This will assure project is not adhering to the plan. A com- • Quantitative risk analysis
that management has the opportunity to prehensive project control process/system • Risk response planning
challenge the scope, quality, cost and sched- needs to be established and communicated • Risk monitoring and control.
ule for any given project opportunity and to all team members, including the contrac- Risks should also be classified in terms of
evaluate the project against the defined busi- tors/suppliers, to assure everyone is well probability of severity of occurrence to de-
ness case or industry opportunity. aware of their status and reporting require- termine how the risk will be dealt with.
Project Execution Planning (PEP) – For ments. (See Fig.1.) Typical risk response aspects must also
future nuclear power projects, project execu- Nuclear power projects have a number of be defi ned, which include such factors as
tion planning (PEP) is the most important regulatory reporting requirements that man- avoidance, partial or full transfer, mitiga-
and influential deliverable that a project date an effective and efficient project control tion, and acceptance.
team can develop. system be established. If this is not executed A diligent approach to risk manage-
The PEP is developed early in the plan- satisfactorily, project decisions can be made ment needs to be incorporated during
ning stages and is constantly kept “ever- with inadequate project status information, the execution phase. Many organizations
green” as the project evolves. The PEP pro- which can result in regulatory issues and have identified a project risk manager (for
vides the roadmap for all project activities poor overall project management. large projects) who is solely responsible for
and assures that all activities are considered Risk Management – In any large capital tracking the identified risks and how they
and addressed. This roadmap would include project expenditure, especially in the nuclear are being managed, identifying new risks
the project schedule, resources, regulatory project environment, there are a number of and developing strategies to minimize
compliance issues, project staffing, project potential project execution risks that can their impact. For smaller projects, these
control plan, commissioning/start-up de- interfere with a project meeting its expecta- same techniques are incorporated into the
tails, etc. This owner/operator-developed tions. The identification of potential project project manager’s responsibilities.
document is the communication device risks and execution vulnerabilities in the Another important aspect of risk man-
that all project participants use to assure full early planning stages and the incorporation agement is the communication with the
team alignment of roles, responsibilities, de- of these risks/vulnerabilities and associated execution contractors on how risk will be
liverable commitments and project risk miti- mitigation strategies in the PEP are essen- addressed. If this aspect of risk management
gation strategies. tial. These risks are then tracked and man- is not addressed, changes become numer-
Due to the massive size and complexity of aged during the execution phase. ous and the potential for claims is increased.
nuclear power projects, one cannot conceive In today’s fast-paced and resource-lim- Contractors should also be encouraged to
of a case where a PEP would not be man- ited environment, many companies have bring forward potential risks as they are
datory. In fact, the owner/operator should difficulty making the appropriate adjust- identified and not wait for them to have
require every engineering/construction ments to address these risks. This is an is- negative impacts on the project.
contractor, supplier/vendor and support sue in the power industry. Many identify Effective Staffing – In the engineer-
consultant to provide their respective plans the risks, but do not adjust the plan or ing, procurement and construction in-
for their assigned scopes of work that would their approach to incorporate the selected dustry over the past five years, the most
be incorporated into the owner/operator mitigation approach. critical issue facing the industry has been
overall master PEP. This then becomes the Execution risks and vulnerabilities must the availability of experienced, qualified
guiding “playbook” for the project that be at the forefront of all project execution human resources.
is equally as important as the engineering activities. They need to be reported on at [CONTINUED ON PG. 23]
DECEMBER 2009 NUCLEARPOWERINTERNATIONAL : 13

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Process Ltd., and Magnox North Sites Ltd.,

on the design, manufacture and integrated
works testing. BNS will also provide en-
gineering support to Costain during site
installation and will carry out inactive
commissioning at the site prior to han-
dover to Magnox North.
Magnox North is applying its expertise to
accelerate the decommissioning work plan,
which doesn’t preclude a reduction in the
100-year period to total site clearance.

SCOPE OF THE SAWBR PROJECT

The object of SAWBR is the retrieval
and processing for storage of intermediate
level waste (fuel element debris). Once
this objective has been achieved, the
decontamination and demolition of the five
Remote box lid bolt replacement. Photo, BNS Nuclear Services. reinforced concrete bunkers can begin. (This
element of the project will be undertaken by

Decommissioning Magnox North under the provisions of a

separate contract.)

Bunkers at Hunterston A
Three of the bunkers were built in the
1950s and two were built in the 1980s. The
bunkers contain approximately 3,000 square

H
By Phil Reade, SAWBR Project Manager, BNS Nuclear Services meters of solid intermediate level waste.
unterston A power station is located on a promontory of the Costain has demolished a redundant stairwell
Ayrshire coast, near West Kilbride, 30 miles southwest of and corridor adjacent to the bunkers and is
Glasgow, Scotland. It is a twin reactor Magnox power station constructing a new building to house the
now shutdown and being decommissioned. The station, SAWBR plant, which should be completed
Scotland’s first civil nuclear generating station and the largest by the end of 2009 and operational by June
in operation anywhere in the world when it came online, had 2010.
a generating output of some 360 MW. The bunkers contain several different
The station comprised two Magnox-fueled, graphite- types of waste. To reduce any risk of fire, the
moderated, steel pressure vessel reactors. One of its unique retrieval operations will be carried out in an
features was that load refueling operations were conducted oxygen-reduced atmosphere. The vent plant
from below the reactors. Six 60 MW turbo alternators was designed and manufactured by Studsvik
provided electricity to the grid. Throughout its 25-year operational life, Hunterston A was Alpha Limited, with Costain designing and
at or near the top of the World Nuclear Performance charts. supplying the oxygen reduction atmosphere
Reactor 2 was shutdown on Dec. 31, 1989, followed by Reactor 1 on March 30, 1990. (ORA) system.
Defueling commenced on Aug. 16, 1990 , and was completed on Jan. 21, 1995, with the
last fuel being dispatched from the site on Feb. 8, 1995. THE RETRIEVAL PROCESS
The current preferred strategy for decommissioning Hunterston A, like all U.K. Two Brokk remotely operated vehicles
Magnox nuclear power stations, is deferred site clearance, allowing for total site (ROVs) are the first stage of the retrieval
clearance about 100 years after cessation of generation. This strategy minimizes risk process. The ROVs have been successfully
to workers, the public and the environment, minimizes waste volumes, is technically operated at a number of sites, including
straightforward and makes fi nancial sense. Trawsfynydd in Wales and Sellafield in
U.K.-based BNS Nuclear Services has completed all the mechanical plant and electrical Northern England.
systems for the U.K.’s Magnox North Hunterston A site solid active waste bunker recov- The first ROV will be bunker-based and
ery (SAWBR) project. BNS worked closely with the lead contractor, Costain Oil, Gas and will rake and sweep waste to fill a waste

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bucket. The second ROV will collect the gamma monitor performs a final dose check
filled waste bucket and deliver it to the wall- of the activity in the box to confirm that it
mounted conveyor. To achieve the plant is within acceptable limits for export. The
throughput criteria, the ROV operators must robot also performs a number of swabbing
retrieve enough waste to fill a 3-square-meter routines to confirm that there is no loose
radioactive waste management directive contamination on the external surfaces of
(RWMD) box every four hours. the box. To meet RWMD requirements,
At an intermediate position along the even the base of the box can be swabbed,
conveyor, the waste bucket stops and the necessitating the opening of the gamma gate
activity of the waste is monitored. This allows and the use of the import/export overhead
the operator to ensure that each 3-square- crane to lift the box to enable the robot to
meter box does not exceed the maximum swab the base.
activity limit set for export from SAWBR to The operator has closed-circuit television
storage. The waste bucket is then conveyed of all the retrieval and process operations via
to the elevator/tipper. the ROV’s on-board cameras, as well as via
BNS has integrated an industrial loader the overview cameras strategically placed to
tipper from Lodematic Ltd. The waste follow the entire process. Remote waste retrieval. Photo, BNS Nuclear Services.
bucket engages onto its forks and the BNS was responsible for the design and
bucket is then automatically elevated and supply of the modular control room and the MAGNOX NORTH AND
tipped, with its contents being fed into associated power distribution and control HUNTERSTON A
a 3-square-meter box via a chute. The ISO containers. They have been fully tested Magnox North is responsible for the safe
chute is designed to contain the material during integrated testing of equipment delivery of the operations and decommis-
and guide it into the box. at their works and will be delivered and sioning programmes on five sites in the U.K.
When the operator has filled the box to situated adjacent to the SAWBR building for Besides the decommissioning of Hunterston
the desired level, a roof-mounted industrial interconnecting cabling to be installed. A, the company’s site operations include
robot is deployed and performs a pre- electricity generation at Oldbury in Glouc-
programmed routine to level the waste pile TRANSPORTATION estershire, Wylfa and Maentwrog in North
to ensure that the box lid can be effectively The SAWBR processing facility anticipates Wales, and defuelling and decommissioning
replaced. To ensure the sealing system is producing approximately 1,000 boxes of of the former generating power stations at
not compromised by the build-up of dust intermediate level waste (ILW). Once the Chapelcross in Dumfriesshire and Traws-
or debris, the robot has the facility via a box has passed both dose and contaminant fynydd, also in North Wales. Magnox North
tool changer to vacuum clean around the checks, it is available for export across the is the management and operations contrac-
box-filling aperture and around the critical Hunterston A site in a purpose-built cross- tor responsible for the day-to-day operation
sealing faces of the waste chute and delidder. site shielded transporter. of its site under contract to the U.K.’s Nucle-
There is also a facility for the operator to The vehicle is reversed into position below ar Decommissioning Authority.
remotely attach a gripper and in manual the import/export shielded gamma gate. Having successfully defueled Hunterston’s
mode, control the robot to remove any rogue To guarantee position accuracy, the vehicle twin reactors and dispatched the irradiated
items of waste that may prevent the box lid is fitted with an automatic guidance system. fuel to Sellafield for reprocessing, Magnox
from being replaced. The operator has to be When in position, the control of the vehicle North is currently midway through the care
satisfied that there is a sufficient void at the is handed over to the control room and and maintenance preparations of the site’s
top of the box for the grout cap to be added the vehicle is elevated before the doors of decommissioning programme.
later and that the box is cleanly filled with no the onboard shielded overpack are opened.
contamination on the top edge or sides. The box-handling crane lowers the box into Author: Phil Reade is SAWBR project manager,
Once a box is filled, the operator initiates the overpack and releases the grapple. The BNS Nuclear Services. He has 25 years of experience
an automatic sequence to raise the waste crane then rises to its parking height and the with nuclear engineering at leading U.K. firms. He has
chute, the delidder closes and automatically gamma gate closes, as does the gate on the worked as a project manager during his last eight years
replaces and releases the box lid. The box shielded overpack. Control of the vehicle with BNS and its predecessor, INS. The projects he led
is then automatically returned to the box is then transferred back to the driver. The during this time include the design of high active cells
preparation area, where the swabbing and driver is then able to lower it off its stabilisers for the BNFL Technology Centre and equipment design
bolting robot replaces the lid bolts. A local and vacate the building. for the Berkeley Active Waste Vault Project.

DECEMBER 2009 NUCLEARPOWERINTERNATIONAL : 15

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Figure 1 TOTAL GENERATING COSTS AND CAPACITY FACTOR

Industry Annual Average
40 100
35
30 90

Capacity Factor %
25
$/MWh

20 80
15
10 70
5
0 60
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Year

Total Generating Cost $/MWh Capacity Factor %

Sum of Plant, Support and other costs + Fuel + Capital

Crossing International Boundaries

The benefits of comparing nuclear operating costs and performance internationally
By David R. Ward, Jr., Duke Energy–Charlotte, N.C., and Electric Utility Costs
Group (EUCG) Nuclear Committee Chair

I
n a seamless world such as ours, there are very few boundaries aside from the EUCG adopted a strategy to look for
those that demarcate national territories and prevent the flow of informa- international members beyond North
tion, ideas, trade and people. It is often pointed out that those who do not America and into Europe and the Far East.
recognize that the “world is flat” and that globalization is a levelling factor At the same time, there were overtures
in all aspects of trade, ideas and practices will be left behind in the global by some internationals that saw value in
race to excellence. Those who fail to recognize this feel they are different or participating in the EUCG. The EUCG
they that they have the best, so why look? seized the opportunity to foster these
Globalization is particularly relevant and important for companies that connections premised on the fact that there
want to succeed given current global issues such as shrinking economies, was valued experience in nuclear operations
credit availability, demographics and climate change. There is a need to in Europe and there was an expanding
better understand real value drivers, the ability to act with agility and nuclear industry in the Far East.
exploit good opportunities. The sources of these factors for success are not just national, Along with the strategy to bring in new
but global. member utilities, the EUCG also saw the
The Electric Utility Costs Group (EUCG) Nuclear Committee came to recognize the opportunity to strengthen its role in related
significant positives about “going global” a number of years ago and began its initiative to international associations. This forged a
expand membership beyond North America. It has turned out to be a very progressive move partnership with the International Atomic
in all respects, not only fostering the exchange of good ideas, but creating a meaningful way Energy Association (IAEA) to drive
to forge positive links toward improving and sustaining the nuclear world community. projects and initiatives of mutual interest.
Aside from the Canadian utilities who
GOING GLOBAL have been long-standing members of the
The EUCG started out as a cooperating group of member utilities primarily exchanging association, the EUCG now includes mem-
financial data in a forum that comprised mainly U.S. and Canadian utilities. In early 2000, bers from Spain, Romania, France, China

16 : NUCLEARPOWERINTERNATIONAL DECEMBER 2009

nuclear A

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nuclear A

NUCLEUS

Figure 2 TOTAL OPERATING COSTS

Industry Rolling 3-year Average

32
28
24
20
$/MWh

16
12
8
4
0
2002-2004 2003-2005 2004-2006 2005-2007 2006-2008
YEAR
First Quartile Threshold Second Quartile Threshold

Sum of Plant, Support and other costs + Fuel + Capital

and Japan. This representation brings unit cost, performance and staffi ng data, basis among members, meaning that the
with it almost as many operating units it also provides qualitative information data is only available to members that
as there are in the U.S. today, providing that enables better understanding of the participate by providing their plant data.
a larger population from which to select data. The fundamental purpose of this In 2007, the EUCG Nuclear Committee
benchmarking peers. It also brings: database is to support benchmarking and Leadership Team approved an initiative to
• Lessons and practices from different target-setting and improve members’ ac- address this issue.
nuclear technologies cess to industry best practices. A task team of member representatives
• Information on new nuclear build One limiting factor when nuclear energy —North American and internationals—
• Lessons and practices from different stations try to benchmark operating costs developed a proposal to utilize the pur-
operating modes, socio-economic with plants in other countries is the cur- chasing power parity (PPP) published by
conditions and regulatory umbrellas. rency exchange issue. Some databases use the Organization for Economic Co-op-
This variety in practices brings valu- a point-in-time currency exchange rate, eration and Development (OECD). This
able mutual benefits to all members who which is for a specific date in the report- PPP is the most suitable and internation-
actively participate and importantly, pro- ing period. However, database reporting ally accepted currency conversion that
vides a list of contacts for utilities to ex- periods can cover multiple periods such both converts to a common currency and
change ideas. as monthly, quarterly and in most cases, equalizes the purchasing power of differ-
In its effort to improve benchmark- annually. An exchange rate between two ent currencies. In other words, the differ-
ing costs across nations (currencies), the currencies can fluctuate significantly dur- ences in price levels between countries in
EUCG developed a feature in its nuclear ing a reporting period, so trying to deter- the process of conversion is eliminated.
integrated information database (NIID) mine which rate is the most effective can As noted on the OECD website, the
called the purchasing power parity fea- be difficult. use of PPP is a fi rst step in making inter-
ture that factors out the “currency vac- The EUCG Nuclear Committee data- country comparisons in real terms of
illations” and drives to a truer basis for bases have been collecting data since 1986 gross domestic product (GDP) and its
benchmarking costs. The NIID is the and consist of plant/unit performance component expenditures. GDP is the ag-
cornerstone of the EUCG. The Nuclear and cost data, operating and outage cost gregate used most frequently to represent
Committee’s vision is to be the recog- data, capital cost data and staffi ng infor- the economic size of countries and, on a
nized industry source for economic and mation. The databases are updated an- per capita basis, the economic well-being
performance benchmarking data and in- nually by participating members and are of their residents. Calculating PPP is the
formation used by member companies to recognized as the most comprehensive fi rst step in the process of converting the
improve plant and industry performance. source of nuclear plant data in the world. level of GDP and its major aggregates,
The NIID not only captures plant and EUCG data is shared on a “give-to-get” expressed in national currencies, into a

18 : NUCLEARPOWERINTERNATIONAL DECEMBER 2009

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NUCLEUS

common currency to enable these com- world and identifies the similarities in the
parisons to be made. issues all companies face. This also allows
The recommended PPP initiative was for differences to be uncovered for pos-
approved by the Nuclear Leadership sible consideration in other parts of the
Team and the Nuclear Committee mem- world to improve the benchmarking ca-
bership so the next step was implement- pabilities.
ing the recommendation into the annual Sharing data and best practices has
data exchange process. This required gone a long way toward the transforma-
programming changes to the EUCG cost tion of the EUCG into a more global as-
databases. The EUCG database manager sociation. It is important to note that the
reconfigured each cost database to al- aforementioned “give to get” principle
low each participating member to select not only applies to the annual data ex-
its respective country’s currency to enter change but also implicitly applies to the
plant cost data into the databases. The level of participation in workshop discus-
input data would then use the respective sions and agenda-setting by members
year/country PPP factor and convert the who attend workshops. The workshops
stored data into U.S. dollars. This saved provide a very useful forum to table com-
time for the international members of pany issues, better understand data analy-
EUCG by not having to use a currency sis issues, engage in discussions, exchange
exchange rate to recalculate the currency ideas and set future workshop agendas.
then enter the data. The output side also This forum now has greater importance
realizes time savings by allowing a coun- and benefit with the infusion of members
try to select the desired currency and from many countries.
then all reports/graphs are displayed as The nuclear industry data in Figures
requested. This type of output saves time 1 and 2 were retrieved using the latest
for additional analysis and allows “last EUCG data. The graphs shown include
minute” management requests to be met all current EUCG Nuclear Committee
in a timely manner. The EUCG Nuclear members. Each member company can
Committee databases have many years of drill down into more details of this in-
historical data that required confi rmation formation to identify relevant differences
and then transformation using the given that each company can address when
PPP factor for each related year. comparing to its peers.
Even though the original intent of this Going forward, the EUCG’s strategy is
change was to benefit the international to increase the exchange of valued ideas
members of the EUCG Nuclear Commit- and practices across international bound-
tee, the North American companies have aries by continuing its effort to make the
increased usage of the international data database more global without sacrificing
because of the ease of obtaining cost and the good aspects of its current configu-
performance information. With increased ration and by holding workshops with a
usage, data defi nitions are being refi ned similar focus. For more information about
to recognize international elements in or- the EUCG please contact David Ward at ________________________
der to ensure data consistency across the 704-382-4943 or visit the EUCG website
different countries. An additional benefit at eucg.org.
that is being realized at the nuclear com-
mittee workshops, which are held twice Author: David R. Ward, Jr., is a senior business
a year, is the increased participation/ consultant in the nuclear generation department of
discussion by the international members Duke Energy–Charlotte, N.C. He is currently the EUCG
during the presentations. This provides nuclear committee chair and has served on numerous
all attendees with insight to nuclear en- industry task teams in regards to nuclear cost and
ergy operations in different areas of the staffing-related initiatives.

nuclear A

CASE STUDY

Figure 1 LAKE TEMPERATURE MONTHLY AVERAGE

approaching, respectively, their manufac-
turer and state-mandated limits.
80
Figure 3 shows the output curves for
Lake temperature monthly average the years prior to the de-silting of Unit
1’s condenser. In the second week of June
70
2006, Unit 1’s condenser was cleaned to
avoid problems caused by excessive back
Temperature (F)

60 pressures predicted for August. Fol-

lowing the cleaning, periodic chemical
treatments were started. Their frequency
50 increased over time. Cleaning, in conjunc-
tion with chemical injection, improved
plant performance for the remainder of
40 the cycle. This improvement in genera-
tion continued through the fi rst half of
the cycle started in 2007. In 2008, the
30 cycle started to repeat and back pressure
Jan. Feb. Mar. April May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. curves predicted that operations would
again face challenges during high lake
temperature months.

Cleanliness Program THE SOLUTION

The efficacy of a cleaning program was
proven, but holding on to gains from

Improved Condenser any cleaning required follow-on mainte-

nance. A team formed to address the issue
developed an online condenser cleaning

Performance Nine Mile Point gained 20 MW of capacity and saved $1 million.

program designed to restore condenser
performance by removing the maximum
amount of fouling deposits in the shortest
period of time. A maintenance dispersant
By Daniel Cicero, Nalco, Gerald Munyan, Constellation Energy, and Scott Reich, Nalco program would “hold the gains.”

N
Organic material and microbial depos-
ine Mile Point Nuclear Station is located on Lake its bind inorganic material like silt, iron
Ontario in Scriba, N.Y., just outside Oswego. The plant oxides and other solids into amorphous,
operates two boiling water reactors (BWRs), generating insulating deposits. High-level halogena-
about 1,700 MW. tion (using bleach) oxidized the microbial
Nine Mile Point is a once-through, parallel flow deposits and made the cleaning environ-
condenser with two water boxes. The unit draws cooling ment more alkaline. The bleach was fol-
water from Lake Ontario, which varies from about 35 F lowed up with bromine, which improved
to approximately 75 F, as shown in Figure 1. microbial kill and penetrated the depos-
In the cooler months when lake temperatures are its. A bio-detergent was added to disperse
at their lowest, condenser fouling impact is low. As and flush the deposits from the system.
lake temperatures rise, the impact of existing fouling Following the chemical cleaning, total
increases. Biological activity also increases during the summer months. As shown residual halogen (TRO) was reduced
in Figure 2, the condenser fouling factor varies throughout the year in response to using sodium bisulfite to meet the plant’s
changing temperatures. discharge requirements.
The impact of condenser fouling was greatest during the even years, the second Holding the gains achieved by the
year of each two-year refueling cycle. This, coupled with high temperatures during chemical cleaning required new technol-
the summer months, resulted in condenser back pressures and discharge temperatures ogy. Nalco’s 3D Trasar technology com-

20 : NUCLEARPOWERINTERNATIONAL DECEMBER 2009

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CASE STUDY

Figure 2 GROSS OUTPUT VS LAKE TEMPERATURE

present. The chemi-
cal tag, measured by
650.0
a different channel in
the fluorometer, regis-
640.0
ters the amount of ac-
630.0 tive polymer present.
Comparing the con-
Gross Output MWe

620.0 centrations of inert

and active polymer—
610.0 and the rates at which
they change—delivers
600.0 dispersant control
based on the amount
590.0 Expected Gross Generation of dispersant needed
at any given time.
580.0 Results were dra-
30 40 50 60 70 80 matic. (See Figure
Condenser Inlet Temp. (F) 4, p. 22.) Lake tem-
peratures increased
in 2008 as expected
and also as expected,
condenser cleanliness
Figure 3 CONDENSER CLEANLINESS FACTORS, 2004-2008 declined.
In June 2008 when
100% the new treatment
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 program was initiated,
Cleanliness improved in the winter months. instead of condenser
90% cleanliness continu-
Condenser cleaned, summer 2006 ing to decline as the
lake temperature in-
80% creased, cleanliness
factors increased,
clearly demonstrat-
70%
ing the efficacy of the
program.
60% The fi nancial im-
plications were also
dramatic. During
50% the fi rst two days of
Cleanliness declined in the summer months. t reat ment— du r i ng
the hottest part of
40%
the year, when elec-
Time (Each division = Approximately 60 days) tricity demand (and
prices) are highest—
the plant saw an in-
crease of 16 MW
bines an inert, fluorescent signal with a mer—to deliver dispersion and deposit in generating capability. Over the next
fluorescent functionality attached to a control. Measured using a multi-channel week, this improvement increased to
polymer backbone—a chemical “tag” that fluorometer, the inert material acts as a 20 MW. After 60 days using the new
reacts to stress on the dispersant poly- benchmark; a measure of total polymer [CONTINUED ON PG. 22]
DECEMBER 2009 NUCLEARPOWERINTERNATIONAL : 21

nuclear A

PRODUCTS

New Japanese Research the inaccuracy originating from By using five parallel paths, sured flow rate on the flow ele-
Facility Measures the flowmeter due to the uncer- the Altosonic V provides a good ment and it allows for an addi-
High Performance tainty of the measurement. The representative sample of the tional +/- 0.05 percent on the
Flowmeters NMIJ project’s goal was to re- mean flow velocity distribution differential pressure measure-
In a study of higher perfor- duce the inaccuracy of this mea- throughout the cross-sectional ment or a combined uncertain-
mance flowmeters to improve surement to a more acceptable 1 area. To ensure a constant cross- ty of +/- 0.3 percent. Whether
the efficiency of Japanese nu- percent, thereby increasing the sectional area, the Altosonic V is or not this performance is ac-
clear power plants, the National overall efficiency of the reactor. machined from a single block of tually being achieved with the
Metrology Institute of Japan The NMIJ test facility was steel for resistance to expansion traditional flow solution has
(NMIJ) has put one of the built to simulate flow rates that due to line pressure. To com- been questioned throughout
world’s most accurate research would typically be found in pensate for thermal expansion the industry.
and test facilities into operation a functioning nuclear power and contraction, a temperature The Krohne Altosonic V
for the measurement of ultra- plant. Construction of the facil- sensor is located in the meter ultrasonic flowmeters have no
large flows. ity, whose water tower supplies body, allowing for corrections. obstructions or moving parts
At the heart of the facility 12,000 cubic meters of water The specified accuracy of in the pipe, which ensures no
are four Krohne Altosonic V per hour, began in 2004. The the Krohne Altosonic V flow- wear or pressure loss. This, in
flowmeters arranged in series, entire program is expected to meter is +/-0.15 percent of the combination with larger me-
each with one electromagnetic represent a total capital invest- measured flow rate. Additional ter sizes, permits simplified
Krohne Optiflux flowmeter as a ment of approximately 3 billion uncertainties occur in the high configuration of metering sys-
technology-independent plausi- yen (US$33.3 million). With temperature regimen, due tems. No strainers and fewer
bility check. the insights gained, the effec- mostly to the inability to cali- parallel lines are required.
Inaccuracy of flow and tem- tiveness of all nuclear power brate at the elevated operating Operation of the flowme-
perature measurement amounts plants and thermal power plants Reynolds Numbers. The tar- ters is maintenance- free and
to a total of 2 percent to 3 per- could be improved by 1 percent get is the industry requirement no periodic calibration is re-
cent, with about 90 percent of to 2 percent. of +/-0.25 percent of the mea- quired. —Krohne

[CONTINUED FROM PG. 21] Cleanliness Program Improved Condenser Performance

Figure 4 CLEANLINESS FACTOR (%) AND treatment program, the plant realized
LAKE TEMPERATURE (F) an economic recovery of approximately
$1.05 million.
85%
90 Authors: Daniel Cicero is the industry devel-
75%
80 opment manager in Nalco’s power group. Since
65% joining the company in 1991, he has worked in a
Cleanliness Factor (%)

70
Lake Temperature (F)

55% number of sales, product management and new

60 product development roles.
45%
Gerald Munyan is a thermal performance en-
50
35% gineer at Nine Mile Point, Constellation Energy.
New treatment program 40 He has been with Constellation for nine years and
25% initiated
before that, with the Department of the Navy for
15% Cleanliness factor increased 30
2008 Cleanliness Factor 15 years.
even as the lake temperature
5% increased.
20 Scott Reich is an executive account manager
2008 Lake Temperature (F)
10 in Nalco’s power group. Since joining the com-
-5%
pany in 1987, he has worked in a number of sales
1/1 1/15 1/29 2/12 2/26 3/11 3/25 4/8 4/22 5/6 5/20 6/3 6/17 7/1 7/15 7/29 8/12 8/26 9/9 and management roles across the U.S. He is a
Time (Each Division = 14 Days) graduate of Illinois State University with a B.S. in
industrial engineering.

22 : NUCLEARPOWERINTERNATIONAL DECEMBER 2009

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NUCLEUS

[CONTINUED FROM PG. 11] The Future of Spent Nuclear Fuel

through NRC oversight. Instead of paying cooperative arrangement between the sive approach to spent fuel management
a generation fee to DOE, the utilities would commercial nuclear industry and host and storage that has straightforward and
be required to set aside an equivalent sum states, one which would avoid potentially achievable results. While new technologies
into an escrow fund, similar to the required costly litigation from locals not keen on may make reprocessing a more economical
arrangement for utilities to set aside funds nuclear waste, no matter how safely it is and achievable option, the fact is that even
for decommissioning nuclear plants. The stored in their proverbial backyards. after reprocessing, there will ultimately
existing balance of the Nuclear Waste Fund The conclusions reached in Plan D rep- be some smaller amount of nuclear waste
would also be transferred to the escrow fund resent some common sense options that that will have to be addressed. Though at a
and a new government corporation would could satisfy many in the commercial nucle- significant cost, onsite dry storage can con-
administer the fund, tracking individual ar power industry. It would remove uncer- tinue to serve as an intermediate solution
accounts for each utility. To the extent that tainty in national policy by relegating the that will buy the industry many years that
a permanent storage solution turned out to federal government’s involvement to that can be used for research and development
be less expensive than the monies collected, of a regulatory body only and establish in- of workable longer-term solutions. But the
utilities would be reimbursed depending on centives for states to cooperate in the effort political and legal tangles regarding spent
how much they paid in. to manage spent fuel. The utilities would fuel need to be resolved for the focus to be
This arrangement would allow greater also gain confidence through the establish- placed back on a paramount concern for
assurance that the funds would be readily ment of an escrow fund where the fees they the nation’s energy policy—providing safe,
accessible without the need to go through would pay in based on generation would clean energy solutions for the next century,
an annual Congressional approval process. actually be available and used for develop- of which nuclear power must play a signifi-
In addition, rather than having the federal ing and implementing a long-term storage cant part.
government designate an area for national solution. Such a situation would likely be
waste storage in a state where residents especially welcome given that DOE recent- Authors: Christopher F. Tierney is vice president
are opposed to spent fuel storage, the ly rejected requests made by several utilities and treasurer of The Kenrich Group. Patrick M.
escrow fund could be used as a source of to suspend collection of the generation fee Jensen is a managing consultant of The Kenrich
compensation for states willing to host even though the utilities are receiving no Group. Both are based in Washington, D.C. Their
a spent fuel facility, whether a central commensurate benefit in return. consulting work is focused on financial, accounting,
repository or a reprocessing plant. The What the commercial nuclear power economic and damages matters in areas including
escrow fund would also introduce a industry needs right now is a comprehen- the electric power industry.

[CONTINUED FROM PG. 13] Cross-Industry Project Management Lessons Learned

The industry has been facing a huge “ag- their knowledge in the planning stages in also take some lessons from the last round
ing” issue. Approximately 50 percent of the execution planning, risk assessments, con- of major projects in other industry sectors.
industry will reach retirement age within structability analysis and other related proj- One aspect always seems to rise above all
five years and we are not attracting new ect support functions. If we do not capture others: if we implement the proven proj-
people to the industry fast enough. This these resources today and allow them to ect management tools and techniques and
will also be a major issue facing the nuclear mentor our future leaders, their knowledge communicate effectively to all team mem-
power projects of the future. Since there and experience will be lost. bers (management as well as contractors),
has not been a new nuclear power project the odds of completing a project within
in the U.S. in more than 30 years, finding THE FUTURE acceptable expectations are increased dra-
experienced resources is an issue now, and The future of projects in the nuclear matically.
the exodus of personnel due to retirements power sector looks promising. Projects are
will only serve to add to the problem, caus- being identified and are moving through Author: Steve Cabano is the president of Path-
ing major execution challenges. the approved procedures. The industry is finder LLC, a project management consulting firm
With the recent slowdown of many developing new execution strategies that specializing in the planning, development and ex-
major projects and the overall world eco- will minimize some of the regulatory time ecution of domestic and international capital plant
nomic slowdown over the past two years, and schedule constraints; material and construction projects. With 25 years of project
this resource drain trend has decelerated, equipment pricing is starting to stabilize at engineering and project management experience
but it is still a major concern when look- reasonable levels; and engineering and ex- in the industrial and commercial facilities industry,
ing at staffi ng a major project. The nuclear ecution resources are presently available. he has provided project-related services in the pe-
power industry needs to capture some of To assure that we do not encounter some troleum, petrochemical, chemical, power, environ-
the more experienced resources now avail- of the “train wrecks” of past nuclear proj- mental and pharmaceutical industries in the U.S.
able throughout the industry and leverage ects, we must learn from those mishaps and and worldwide.

nuclear A

TECHNOLOGY

Figure 1 The World’s Largest Tokamak

buildings that will house the ITER fusion
experiments.
In ITER, the fusion reaction will be
achieved in a device called a “tokomak”
that uses magnetic fields to contain and
control the hot plasma. (See Figure
1.) The fusion between deuterium and
tritium (D-T) will produce one helium
nuclei, one neutron and energy. The
helium nucleus carries an electric charge
that will respond to the magnetic fields
of the tokamak and remain confi ned
within the plasma. However, some 80
percent of the energy produced is carried
away from the plasma by the neutron that
has no electrical charge and therefore is
completely unaffected by magnetic fields.
The neutrons will be absorbed by
the surrounding walls of the tokamak,
transferring their energy to the walls in
the form of heat. This heat will then be
dispersed through cooling towers. In the
demonstration fusion plant prototype and
in future industrial fusion installations,
the heat will be used to produce steam and
via turbines and alternators, electricity.
During its operational lifetime, ITER
The ITER machine is based on the “tokamak” concept of magnetic plasma
confinement, in which the fusion fuel is contained in a doughnut-shaped vessel. will test key technologies necessary for
With a height of 29 metres and a diametre of 28 metres, ITER will be the world’s the next step—the demonstration fusion
largest tokamak. Diagram, ITER Organization. power plant that will capture fusion
energy for commercial use.

Global Coordination
ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW
Nuclear fusion is the energy source of
the sun and stars. Harnessing it as a new

at ITER
energy source for mankind is the goal of
ITER, the largest fusion energy research
project in history. First discussed in 1970,
I/T resources must deliver a unified vision at the its objective is to build a demonstration
fusion power plant capable of producing
world’s largest fusion research project. electricity in a safe and environmentally
By Rolf Gibbels, Dassault Systèmes

I
friendly way.
TER is a large-scale scientiﬁc experiment that aims to demonstrate that it is ITER is an international organization
possible to produce commercial energy from fusion. comprised of the central ITER body and
If you haven’t yet heard about the organization, that will likely change seven domestic agencies: the People’s
in the near future. The scale and scope of the ITER project—originally Republic of China, the European Union,
called the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor—rank India, Japan, the Republic of Korea,
it among the most ambitious scientiﬁc endeavors of all time. With the the Russian Federation and the United
organization comprising contributors from around the world and the initial States. Eventually, ITER will employ
site work completed, scientists are now poised to begin construction on the approximately 700 people.

24 : NUCLEARPOWERINTERNATIONAL DECEMBER 2009

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TECHNOLOGY

Each domestic agency will be specialties and anthropological lenses. engineering over a widely distributed
responsible for developing different ITER is at the forefront of nuclear fusion network and ensure control by a small
elements of the ITER power plant. research and each of its many research central design team.
The plant will cost 10 billion euros partners is highly knowledgeable in a ITER collectively decided to use three
(US$14.7 billion) to construct and particular domain. Bringing together that elements of Dassault Systèmes Product
operate and will be located in the town expertise to optimize development of the Lifecycle Management (DS PLM)
of Cadarache in southern France. As of
2008, construction on the plant began
and tokomak assembly is scheduled to
begin in 2012. Plasma operations could
commence in 2018.

COOPERATION AND
COLLABORATION ARE VITAL
The key business challenge facing
ITER is to orchestrate a pioneering
international scientific research project
via a small central team. The project’s end
product is a one-of-a-kind fusion plant
that will become a global energy showcase
and have an indelible impact not only on
global energy advancement but also on
the domestic agencies and their people.
The whole world will be watching to see
whether this high-risk venture succeeds.
Conversely, if the project fails it will
represent a monumental setback—not
exactly the “average” business problem.
An aerial view of the ITER construction site in Cadarache, France. At the far end of the platform, the
Real-time global coordination and
tokamak pit can be discerned. Photo, Agence ITER France.
collaboration are vital to ITER’s success.
The project’s political organization spans tokomak and plant presents a formidable technology suite, a virtual design tool
the globe and procurement packages challenge. ITER must foster a mindset of to structure design methodology for the
break down along geopolitical rather cooperation and provide the means for project, a global collaborative PLM tool
than functional lines. All seven domestic concurrent, collaborative work across the to ensure long-term data interoperability
agencies may simultaneously work on domestic agencies, most of which do not across the organization and a virtual
a single component of the project; share a common language other than the construction planning tool to engineer
however, even this is overshadowed by passion for nuclear physics. the tokomak and the plant.
the coordination challenges of designing In pursuing a solution for its Additionally, ITER chose a Microsoft
a complex facility made up of 10 million collaboration and communication platform for the organization’s underlying
separate parts that in turn must be challenges, ITER specifically looked IT backbone. “We needed a single,
reconciled with extremely rigorous to companies with a cross-cultural, stable, easy-to-administrate system that
quality requirements. Even the slightest authentically international operations complies with standards and fits into the
mistake can wreak significant damage. structure. With scientists and researchers global desktop environment,” said Hans
Varying time zones certainly don’t help. using a particular product in different parts Werner Bartels, senior technical officer
Without a doubt, collaboration isn’t of the world, there would undoubtedly for IT, ITER.
an expendable choice; the whole premise be a need for extensive support and
of the project is predicated upon the regional liaison. Furthermore, ITER MAXIMIZING IT EFFICIENCY
idea of international knowledge-sharing, sought an integrated solution that could ITER opted to build its information
synthesizing the very best practices deliver a unified vision of the mechanical processing resources around the
and scientific ideas from a variety of and plant design data, enable concurrent Microsoft Windows Server System and

DECEMBER 2009 NUCLEARPOWERINTERNATIONAL : 25

nuclear A

TECHNOLOGY

is an early adopter of Microsoft’s 64- “room” (otherwise defi ned as a physical expertise is rare and cooperation among
bit architecture. The platform includes demarcation) within the plant. This en- multi-national teams is essential.
Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft ables the engineers to use 3D to search PLM offers multiple ways for distrib-
SQL Server and Windows Server. and download all of the components for uted stakeholders to consult the project
ITER uses CATIA as the master 3D a given room, simplifying the impact of database for a 3D perspective on prog-
design solution for both the tokomak a design change and helping to verify ress. By ensuring constant product struc-
and the plant that will house it. The whether components are compliant with ture congruency, PLM enables everyone,
ITER design office creates what it calls one another. from designers to procurement officers
a plant breakdown structure up to the
“build-to-print” level, at which point By regulating and organizing version control, when designers
it is ready to be engineered. Domestic update or discard design iterations every team member in every
agencies then take over the design of
domestic agency now knows what the correct version is and can
specific components.
Using the 3D solution’s digital mock-
easily access it.
up (DMU) capabilities, the design office
ensures that the millions of complex
critical parts in and around the tokomak While ensuring data interoperability and non-technical domestic agency ex-
will interface clash-free at assembly time. seems like a tangential back-end PLM ecutives, to easily access up-to-date prod-
ITER is introducing DELMIA as its task beyond the actual process of design uct information and evaluate milestones
process analysis platform to optimize and simulation, it is absolutely crucial to in real time. And with 64-bit design soft-
resource usage throughout assembly solving ITER’s actual business problem. ware turning on Microsoft-based 64-bit
and maintenance. The process detail- By regulating and organizing version workstations, ITER can manage its large
ing features, including tools for defi ning control, when designers update or dis- assemblies rapidly with no memory limi-
equipment kinematics and robotics, will card design iterations every team mem- tations.
allow deeper analysis of critical processes ber in every domestic agency now knows
and the associated equipment, using 3D what the correct version is and can easily THE FUTURE
models directly linked to the latest digi- access it. ITER plans to expand its multi-faceted
tal mock-up. By linking with Primavera, ITER design office engineers use vir- solutions to drive the project forward
the solution also simulates and validates tual design to create “skeletons” or de- and further optimize control over the
critical parts of the assembly schedule sign templates. By providing a structured data and its distribution. For example,
and ITER is considering a possible inte- yet flexible framework to the actual sub- it will use a single source database to
gration to provide remote-handling su- contractors who will manufacture the provide the backbone for a procurement
pervision tools. To simulate collision-free millions of complex components of the tool, enabling bidding agencies to have
paths in the assembly and maintenance tokomak and plant, these skeletons are upstream access to complex data.
context, ITER works with Kineo CAM, completely compliant with pre-deter- The organization is also investigating
a Dassault Systèmes software partner. mined quality standards. The reuse of the use of other tools to manage proj-
ENOVIA, installed on the Microsoft design skeletons also reduces the time ect workflows and as a repository for all
Windows Server, acts as a single reposi- needed to make duplicate components, engineering data, including product/
tory for all design and engineering data. since designers don’t have to spend time geometry breakdown structure views,
It enables engineers to work together on “recreating the wheel.” documents, configurations, require-
the most current designs within the con- Concurrent design also permits ITER ments, 2D/3D coherency, and more, in
text of a part, a large assembly or an entire to keep the size of it design office to a a collaborative mode.
product. These are important capabilities minimum. Finally, a key element of the digital as-
that both improve decision-making and Using PLM, the ITER design office sembly and manufacturing implementa-
promote design reuse. provides master designs to distributed tion will be to verify virtually whether
The product also provides integral teams of designers, engineers and sub- the intended plant assembly will oper-
search capabilities. For example, plant contractors around the world. The ability ate to specifications. This could save
design engineers use virtual “room to delocalize has given domestic agencies hundreds of millions of euros in testing
books” that provide full details of all as- a sense of local ownership of their work. the project’s numerous interfaces before
semblies and systems found in a given It is also crucial in a project where fusion building begins.

26 : NUCLEARPOWERINTERNATIONAL DECEMBER 2009

nuclear A

FUEL FOR THOUGHT

[CONTINUED FROM PG. 4]

NPI: Where do you build the steam generators? they are fairly low-cost generators of electricity. What would it
Reimels: The majority are built in Cambridge, Ontario, and cost you to put in a 100 MW gas plant or 100 MW of anything
we have a facility in Mount Vernon, Indiana, which built most else? Basically, 100 MW of uprate is the cheapest alternative.
of the B&W components back in the ’60s and ’80s. We got our
nuclear N-stamp back there a little over three years ago and so NPI: What other trends are you seeing?
we’re doing some replacement reactor heads there, for Diablo Reimels: This is not an area where B&W is involved, but they
Canyon for example, but the majority of the work over the last continue to upgrade controls, going from analog to digital.
20 years has been done at our Canadian facility. Indiana was You can get better inspection and with more instrumentation,
doing work for our navy customer, so it was government work you can better operate and maintain the plants. There is also
instead of commercial work. a lot of work by the utilities improving operator training and
security at these plants has been a big issue. They’re extending
NPI: Can you give me some specific examples of to 18 months or even two years between outages. That’s pretty
materials fatigue? remarkable for a 40-year-old unit.
Reimels: On the steam generators, most of the original units We’re seeing a trend toward the modular reactors, like our
were built with a tube that was Alloy 600 and that material was mPower reactor. The NRC has been looking at them and will
sensitive to stress corrosion cracking. By going to Alloy 690, start licensing at least two modular reactors and the DOE is
the problem appears to have been solved. Units with the 690 looking at programs to help them get through the licensing
material have been running about 15 years with no signs of process. The value proposition seems to be very good.
stress corrosion cracking so far. And looking at the internals,
we’ve gone to stainless steel. NPI: What’s the size of those modulars?
Reimels: Ours is 125 MW and some are 30 or 40 MW,
NPI: Are there any of the U.S. reactors that still have but you’re actually getting too small there in terms of what’s
steam generators made with Alloy 600? practical. We think for most of the larger utilities, 250 MW to
Reimels: Most of the units have been replaced. B&W has 500 MW is the amount that fits their growth plans. The total
the order right now to build the replacements for Davis-Besse capital cost for the bigger units is $8 billion plus for one unit,
and we just shipped two units to the Crystal River plant that which is still a competitive price but there are few utilities that
were delivered last month and there may be one or two other have a balance sheet that can support an $8 billion project. So
units but that will probably cover the majority of those 104 the small reactors are more affordable, so to speak, and the risk
reactors. On the Canadian side, for the Bruce Station we’re is down in the sense that we are going to build the entire reactor
building the replacement steam generators there and then I in our facilities.
think that’s probably it for steam generator replacements north
of the border as well. NPI: How is the mPower refueled?
Another issue was dissimilar weld. For instance, if you’re Reimels: The design we have has a fuel cartridge. You run it
welding on the reactor vessel or the pressurizer and piping for five years, then you take that bundle out and replace it. Our
coming off is another alloy steel, at those dissimilar welds there reactor is all underground and we have enough storage built in
was stress corrosion cracking. There were a lot of fi xes for that. that we can store 60 years of fuel below grade. If we ever get a
We’re developing phase array technology that allows the utility solution for spent fuel in the U.S., you still have the option of
to see through the pipe to determine the effects and how big taking it out for reprocessing.
they are. That allows them to determine if they have to do a
repair or not. Otherwise, the NRC requires them to cut the NPI: What’s your view of the international market?
weld out just to be safe. Reimels: For the mPower, our intial thrust is in the U.S. but
we are working with a European utility and a Canadian utility
NPI: What other areas is B&W involved in? and as soon as we get it licensed and built here we’ll expand out
Reimels: The other things utilities are looking at are uprates there.
to the existing plants, modifying the plant to get more power, We know some of our service capabilities can be used
so a unit that generated 1,000 MW now generates 1,100 MW. worldwide. China has six units under construction and plans
We’re in negotiations with three or four utilities to replace and to build 30. We work with the folks in Washington and we’re
upgrade condensers and heaters and that type of thing. There keeping our eye on the Indian market—that’s the next big
are still quite a few units that can be uprated. Typically, the market we think—but our main thrust right now is in North
payback is pretty good. Once nuclear plants are up and running, America.

DECEMBER 2009 NUCLEARPOWERINTERNATIONAL : 27

nuclear A

NUCLEAR WORLD

The Sanman site in China. The Sanman project is the most

advanced of the four Westinghouse AP1000s currently
under construction there. Photo, Westinghouse.

Doing Nuclear
I
n early 2009, the Westinghouse
Consortium—comprising West-
inghouse Electric Co. and its part-

Business in China
ner, The Shaw Group Inc.—broke
ground on a $5 billion project in
China. Not only is it the largest
transaction in Westinghouse’s history, but it
Westinghouse turned to the U.S. Commercial Service serves as an excellent example of how U.S.
businesses, with help from the U.S. govern-
to secure a $5 billion contract for four nuclear plants. ment, are tapping opportunities in China’s
By Curt Cultice, Senior Communications Specialist, and Xiaobing Feng, Senior Regional growing infrastructure market.
Manager for China and Mongolia with the Trade Advocacy Center, U.S. Commercial Service The Westinghouse Consortium is con-

28 : NUCLEARPOWERINTERNATIONAL DECEMBER 2009

nuclear A

NUCLEAR WORLD

CR-10 module with lower rebar

installed at Sanman. Photo by
Westinghouse, courtesy U.S.
Commercial Service.

WASHINGTON LENDS A HAND U.S. Commercial Service’s Trade Advocacy

Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pa., West- Center—the coordinating point for advo-
inghouse Electric was long familiar with the cacy issues among the U.S. government’s
Chinese market, having established business Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee
relationships with the Chinese beginning in (TPCC), a group of 20 federal agencies in-
the 1990s on smaller projects. The company volved in supporting U.S. exports.
also worked to train Chinese engineers visit- Meanwhile, international competition was
ing the United States. A few years ago, with heating up as French and Russian companies
its consortium partner, The Shaw Group, sought support from their respective govern-
structing four of Baton Rouge, La., Westinghouse began ments as well. By February 2005, Westing-
nuclear reactor pursuing new international markets for its house and others had submitted bids for the
plants in Sanmen advanced nuclear energy technology. project and the race was on. The Trade Ad-
in Zhejiang Province The consortium identified a tender is- vocacy Center coordinated letters of support
and Haiying in Shan- sued by the Chinese, who were interested in from officials at the Departments of Com-
dong Province, both on developing their nuclear energy industry to merce, Energy and State, as well as then U.S.
China’s east coast. The help address energy shortages in their coun- Ambassador to China, Clark T. Randt. The
first plant is scheduled to try. By the fall of 2003, the Westinghouse U.S. Commercial Service offices in China
become operational in late Consortium began actively pursuing the were instrumental in the effort, introducing
2013 in Sanmen, with the re- Chinese project tender for civilian nuclear Westinghouse officials to high-level Chi-
maining three plants expected to reactors but had no illusions about the chal- nese decision-makers. The U.S. Commercial
come online in 2014 and 2015. lenges that lay ahead in securing a winning Service also helped Westinghouse impress
To help win the contract, Westing- project bid. upon the Chinese the advantages of U.S.
house turned to the U.S. Commercial “We knew a deal with China would re- technology, its quality and the level of after-
Service, the trade promotion unit of the ally open doors for us but that it wouldn’t be the-sale service. This effort was reinforced by
Commerce Department’s International easy, as it was a multi-billion dollar project the consortium members’ participation in a
Trade Administration, and its Trade Advo- that would draw intense international inter- November 2006 trade mission to China led
cacy Center to navigate the many layers in est,” said Westinghouse Board Chairman by Carlos M. Gutierrez, Secretary of Com-
China’s complex government procurement and former CEO Steve Tritch. “We had merce at the time.
market and solidify the firm’s position in some of the best cutting-edge technology In a key move that helped finalize the
the bidding process. It was a familiar work- and expertise to offer, but wanted to ensure deal, U.S. government officials worked with
ing relationship, since the company had uti- that key Chinese decision-makers under- their Chinese counterparts to draft a memo-
lized Trade Advocacy Center assistance in stood the full benefits and merits our pro- randum of understanding (MOU). This es-
pursuing other projects. The Trade Advo- posal would bring to bear.” tablished the terms for mutual cooperation
cacy Center helps level the playing field for To help make its case with the Chinese and support for commercial nuclear power
American companies competing on foreign government for the project bid, Westing- projects and was signed by (then) U.S. Secre-
government tenders. house lined up direct support from the tary of Energy Samuel Bodman and Chinese

DECEMBER 2009 NUCLEARPOWERINTERNATIONAL : 29

nuclear A

NUCLEAR WORLD

National Development and Reform Com- Tritch said. “Not only is this the first-ever Robert Zoglman, a senior consul-
mission Chairman Ma Kai in December deployment of advanced U.S. nuclear power tant to Westinghouse who had served
2006. The MOU further signified to the technology in China, but it’s a win-win for as the company’s vice president for
Chinese that the U.S. government would both China and the United States.” government and international affairs,
take all appropriate action to enable West- According to Westinghouse, the new pow- said the four new plants will serve as
inghouse to carry out the contract. er plants will greatly increase China’s ability the standard for future nuclear power
Shortly thereafter, the Chinese completed to generate significant additional baseload plants. This could provide Westing-
their review of the international bid propos- electricity in a clean, safe and economical house with an advantage in winning
als and made their decision: The winner was manner. The United States and China will future contracts, including mainte-
the Westinghouse Consortium. also benefit from the creation of new jobs nance and servicing. Altogether, the
that support mutual economic growth. On Chinese government plans to spend
NEW SALES, NEW the U.S. side alone, Westinghouse reports $50 billion on at least 30 nuclear reac-
OPPORTUNITIES that the estimated $5 billion project will cre- tors over the next decade.
By the end of 2006, initial design, engi- ate or sustain a minimum of 5,000 U.S. jobs “China’s potential market for
neering and long-lead procurement work within Westinghouse and among its suppli- nuclear energy technology is virtu-
began and a comprehensive agreement was ers from small and medium-sized companies ally unlimited,” said Zoglman. “Even
signed with China’s State Nuclear Corpora- located in at least 20 states. These include when they complete the 30 reactors,
tion at the Great Hall of the People in Bei- well-paying jobs in both the design/engi- nuclear energy will still only account
jing on July 24, 2007. neering and traditional manufacturing sec- for 4 percent of China’s total electric-
“This China deal is a real breakthrough,” tors that are vital to the U.S. economy. ity output and their energy needs are

Chinese workers at Westinghouse

construction site. Photo by Westinghouse,
courtesy U.S. Commercial Service.

30 : NUCLEARPOWERINTERNATIONAL DECEMBER 2009

nuclear A

NUCLEAR WORLD

beneficial business in China,” of Commercial Service export assistance programs

Tritch said. “Having the back- through the news media. He has also written several
ing of the U.S. government articles on trade and exporting. Xiaobing Feng is senior
brought an added degree of regional manager for China and Mongolia with the U.S.
credibility to the negotiation Commercial Service’s Trade Advocacy Center. In her
process with the Chinese, and capacity, Ms. Feng advises and counsels businesses
without this advocacy support, on developing strategies to compete successfully on
this deal wouldn’t have hap- international project opportunities.
pened for us.”
The U.S. Commercial Service is part of the
Authors: Curt Cultice is a senior International Trade Administration, which is
communications specialist with the U.S. dedicated to creating economic opportunities for
Commercial Service in Washington, American workers and businesses by promoting
Sanmen Unit 1. In spring 2009, the ﬁrst concrete placement D.C. In his position, Mr. Cultice trade and investment. In 2008, the U.S Commer-
was ﬁnished. The pour encompassed 5,200 cubic meters of works to promote business cial Service helped facilitate nearly $70 billion in
concrete, 950 tons of reinforcing steel and 1,000 anchor bolts. and public awareness U.S. export sales.
Photo by Westinghouse, courtesy U.S. Commercial Service.

only going to keep growing.”

Zoglman said that one of the major chal-
lenges for Westinghouse and for other U.S. U.S. Commercial Service resources for
companies selling to China is the strong U.S. companies and international buyers
international competition for local nation- The U.S. Commercial Service ing overseas trade missions to key
als—that is, Chinese managers who speak is part of the International Trade markets, an industry promotion
fluent English—who are needed to help Administration (ITA), which is program at the annual IAEA Gen-
maintain and build up a strong network to dedicated to creating econom- eral Conference and official U.S.
support ongoing nuclear energy projects, a ic opportunities for American government advocacy in interna-
priority for Westinghouse. workers and businesses by pro- tional bidding processes
The Westinghouse Consortium deal in moting trade and investment. In • Other resources for U.S. compa-
China ranks as one of the largest non-aero- 2008, the U.S Commercial Ser- nies, like the new Civil Nuclear Ex-
space successes generated by the U.S. Com- vice helped facilitate nearly $70 porters Guide (www.ita.doc.gov/
mercial Service’s Trade Advocacy Center billion in U.S. export sales. td/energy/Civil) and industry brief-
__________
and the TPCC, which continues to facilitate Commerceʼs manufacturing ings on topics like export controls
billions of dollars in export successes annu- and services unit (MAS) (www.____ Commerceʼs market access and
ally for U.S. companies. With the China trade.gov) works to enhance the compliance office (www.trade.gov)
deal signed, Westinghouse sees great poten- global competitiveness of U.S. works to help U.S. industry identify
tial for sales in other countries as well. industry, including the civilian and overcome trade barriers, resolves
Like many other U.S. companies, it has nuclear power sector and pro- trade policy issues and ensures that
found the presence and efforts of the Trade vides key economic and indus- U.S. trading partners fully meet their
Advocacy Center reassuring in its quest for try analysis for U.S. businesses. obligations under U.S. trade agree-
new business. MAS leads the departmentʼs ments.
“I want to emphasize just how hard civil nuclear trade initiative, U.S. Commercial Serviceʼs (www. ____
the United States government has worked which includes: trade.gov/cs) global network of trade
to support Westinghouse … and in • A new civil nuclear industry professionals is located in offices across
assuring us an opportunity to compete advisory committee the U.S. and in American embassies and
for this rewarding and mutually • Promotion activities includ- consulates in nearly 80 countries.

DECEMBER 2009 NUCLEARPOWERINTERNATIONAL : 31

nuclear A

DATA POINTS

Global Nuclear Development Potential

Excerpted from “Nuclear Perspectives: Regional opportunities for a sector in renaissance”
By Ernst & Young
In the first of Ernst & Young’s annual Nuclear Perspectives series, tial. Most, but not all, have a current nuclear capability and they
the authors assess the attractiveness of 21 countries that are either represent both short- and long-term opportunities for investors.
pursuing new nuclear development or have a large fleet of nuclear Five clusters of countries sharing similar drivers were identified,
stations in need of replacement. giving investors insight into the relative strengths of one country
The 21 countries selected were chosen for their nuclear poten- over another and the relevant issues within each group.

The Country Positioning Map shows the relative position of The countries fall into five clusters,
countries based on three leading factors: as shown in the figure:
• Scale of opportunity: assessed by both the size of capacity • Growth engines: countries with major build programs that
needed (present and future) and the urgency for new invest- are meeting an urgent capacity need (China, India, Russia)
ment. • Steady bets: existing nuclear countries with plans to renew
• Government support and regulatory capacity for new their fleets or re-enter the market (Canada, Italy, Japan, South
nuclear development: includes the regulatory framework, Korea, U.K., U.S.)
previous experience with nuclear across regulatory and licens- • European new wave: the only two European countries build-
ing bodies, level of government support and public opinion. ing new generation, passively safe reactors at present (Fin-
• Market and investment framework: includes ease of access land, France)
to international market capital, power market competitiveness • Good prospects: emerging markets with existing programs
and available economic incentives for nuclear. that need to be renewed, and new countries with a stated de-
Analysis by country is important for all stakeholders—utilities, sire to enter the market (Brazil, South Africa, Ukraine, United
regulators, governments, construction companies and technology Arab Emirates)
vendors—to plan their investments and/or encourage investment • Sleepers: either existing nuclear countries with no current
in their countries. We recognize interested parties will select coun- plans to replace their fleet or very low requirements for new
tries based on different criteria and also that a country may be build (Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain, Sweden,
attractive to different investors for different reasons. Switzerland)

COUNTRY POSITIONING MAP

Growth engines Size of new build
6.0 Cluster
China
Russia
5.5
USA
India
5.0
Good prospects
4.5 Japan Steady bets

4.0 South Korea Canada

South Africa
Scale of opportunity

Brazil Ukraine
3.5 UK
Italy European new wave
3.0 UAE France
Germany Finland
2.5
Romania
2.0 Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
1.5 Netherlands
Sleepers
1.0
2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0
Degree of experience and support
Sources include information published by the World Nuclear Association, Datamonitor, OECD and IEA, and Ernst & Young research.

nuclear A

DATA POINTS

Figure 2 At a glance: current and future nuclear capacity for countries analyzed
Installed Expected additional
COUNTRY Cluster Comments
capacity (MW) future capacity (MW)

Government supports new build but nuclear energy faces

Brazil Good prospects 1,901 5,245 strong competition from other sources

Major uranium producer; needs to replace half its fleet

Canada Steady bets 12,652 11,400 over the next 10 years and intends to expand it further
Potentially the largest market for new nuclear in the world;
China Growth engines 8,587 123,760 future will depend on government’s economic and energy
strategy
First European country to undertake construction of a next
Finland European new wave 2,636 2,600 generation plant; closely watched by many

One of the most experienced countries with nuclear

France European new wave 63,473 4,890 power; large new build program expected post-2020

Second largest existing fleet in Western Europe, but due to

Germany Sleepers 20,339 0 be phased out; elections in September 2009 will be key
With strong demand, the priority is getting plants on the
India Growth engines 3,779 44,476 ground; it is shaping up as a good market for midsize
plants
Government eager to return to nuclear power after
Italy Steady bets 0 17,000 20 years; government and utilities need international
cooperation
Nuclear power remains bedrock of energy policy; new
Japan Steady bets 46,236 21,500 stations have been in continuous development for 40 years
Government started exploring opportunities for new build
Netherlands Sleepers 485 0 in spring 2009
Romania Sleepers 1,310 1,965 Strong government support for two new plants
Plans to double nuclear energy output by 2020, amidst
Russia Growth engines 21,743 41,130 changes to the market and industry structure
One of the most interesting markets for investment in new
South Africa Good prospects 1,842 7,565 nuclear until December 2008, when Eskom shelved its
plans on cost grounds
Nuclear remains key priority in the government’s energy
South Korea Steady bets 17,716 12,100 policy
Government commitment to the future of nuclear energy
Spain Sleepers 7,448 0 is uncertain
Good reputation for safe and reliable nuclear power; in
Sweden Sleepers 9,016 0 February 2009, coalition government said it would abolish
act banning construction of new nuclear reactors
Five nuclear reactors currently generate 40% of electricity;
Switzerland Sleepers 3,220 4,000 national vote has confirmed support for nuclear energy
Heavily dependent on nuclear energy (about 50% of
Ukraine Good prospects 13,168 28,900 generation mix); strong government commitment to 2030
— requires substantial new build

United Arab New to nuclear power; plans to have three commercial

Good prospects 0 20,000 nuclear power reactors online before 2020, may be stretch
Emirates target
Progressing steps from the Nuclear White Paper 2008; site
United Kingdom Steady bets 11,035 9,600 consultation under way; utilities continue to explore plans
for new stations
Excellent market for new nuclear; government is still
United States Steady bets 101,119 40,980 overall supportive and industry very keen on new
developments

Source: World Nuclear Association, July 2009, Ernst & Young Analysis

C3 : NUCLEARPOWERINTERNATIONAL DECEMBER 2009

nuclear A

BUILD. UPGRADE. MAINTAIN.

www.NuclearPowerInternational.com

December 14-16, 2010

Orange County Convention Center, West Halls

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