REPURPOSING POWER SITES | NEW BUILD
Left:
Existing nuclear power plant sites like San Onofre could also support new nuclear generation units Source: Edison International
number of tripped cells were counted and scored relative to an assumed acceptable percentage of tripped database cells for each of the 10 parameters. In addition, for these sites the operating and retired nameplate capacities of the coal-fired plants are used to predict available new nuclear replacement capacity, including available cooling water and transmission capacity. This analysis was then used to identify the potential to site 600 MWe, large 1,000 MWe, or 1,117 MWe new nuclear units on currently operating coal plant sites with a combined retired and operating status capacity of 600 MWe or greater and with a projected retirement date segmented into 2025 – 2030, 2031 – 2035, and 2036 – 2040 time frames that were obtained from DOE data. Of the currently operating coal- fired power plants across the USA some 33 sites in 18 states are projected to retire by 2040 and could thus be evaluated further for new nuclear unit backfits.
New reactors at existing NPP sites Alongside existing coal-fired power plant sites, the analysis also explored the scope for additional plants at existing nuclear sites. There are currently 54 operating nuclear power plant sites in the US which, the authors note, provide an excellent option for adding new nuclear capacity because of their license pedigree.
According to the report, current nuclear power plant
sites with cancelled plans for additional units during initial site construction were evaluated, as well as sites that have initiated the process to obtain a combined construction and operating license to build new reactors. Operating sites that did not fit this profile and recently retired nuclear plants were also evaluated using knowledge of site footprints, aerial analysis, and OR-SAGE visual parameter evaluation to estimate the viability of adding new reactors at these existing nuclear sites too. The spreadsheet analysis approach used for coal-
fired plants was also used to initially assess the nuclear plant site data. However, identifying the capacity of new nuclear units on an existing nuclear site proved to be more challenging because the estimate is not based on replacement generator capacity, with inferred cooling water and transmission capacity. To deliver a more comprehensive analysis, where possible, the current 54 nuclear sites were evaluated for additional reactor potential based on past decisions by utilities to consider siting additional large Light Water Reactor (LWR) units on their individual sites. From 2007 to 2009, utilities prepared and submitted 18 combined construction and operating license (COL) applications. Vogtle 3 and 4 were completed through the COL process for example. Five new sites were also proposed through
Above: Decommissioned coal-fired power plant sites like the TVA’s Bull Run unit offer many advantages for new nuclear deployment Source: TVA
www.neimagazine.com | February 2025 | 41
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61
