Electrical grid stability and its impact on nuclear power generating stations

Conference · Wed Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1997

OSTI ID:347586

Trehan, N K

Electrical power is generated by steam turbines (steam being produced by coal, oil, gas or nuclear reactors), hydro units, gas turbines, internal combustion engines, jet engines, and pumped storage plants. Nuclear Power Plants generate only 15% of the total electrical power in the US. Nuclear Power Plants being cheaper to run are generally base loaded. The pumped-storage and gas turbine plants have ideal characteristics for peaking duty. In the pumping mode, pumped storage plants are used to provide additional system load and in the generating mode, they supply reactive power during peak load demands. Gas turbine plants have higher running costs, but are used as peaking units with a fast start capability. Fossil power plants need a minimum of 1 hour to stabilize expansion in the boiler and turbine generator. Due to a more competitive power supply market due to deregulation, most of the utilizes plan generation only for the next three years. This paper discusses the generation control, reactive power balances, power transfer limits, reserve margins, load reduction procedures, and the effect of deregulation which may impact the availability of a stable offsite power to the nuclear power generating stations.

• OSTI ID: 347586
• Report Number(s): CONF-970701--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
CAPACITY
ELECTRICAL TRANSIENTS
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
PLANNING
POWER GENERATION
POWER SYSTEMS
STABILITY
SURGES