Plant life extension viewed as an outgrowth of availability enhancement
During recent years, interest in plant life extension (PLEX) for operating nuclear power stations has grown immensely. Available estimates indicate that the value of extended life could be in the few billions of dollars per plant, and utility companies are initiating studies of possible PLEX programs. However, the vigor and number of such efforts are less than would be expected in view of their expected benefits. It appears likely that the technological and institutional uncertainties associated with PLEX strongly inhibit such efforts. The PLEX issues are often described in terms of requirements to obtain an extended operating license (OL) for a plant, and concerning the ultimate life durations of a few important components such as the reactor vessel. It can be argued that these emphases are misplaced. Rather, in a PLEX program it appears possible to maintain nuclear safety regulatory priorities in balance with economic concerns. No single area of component performance can be identified as being of paramount concern. Rather, the problem of PLEX appears to be that of planning today for economically optimal operation until any point in the indefinite future. Plant aging involves problems mainly in the area of component and system degradation, economic planning, and institutional interactions. A successful PLEX program should coordinate efforts in all three areas which are discussed in the paper.
- Research Organization:
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6869588
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8711195-
- Journal Information:
- Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States), Journal Name: Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States) Vol. 55; ISSN TANSA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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AGING
AVAILABILITY
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CORROSION
CREEP
ECONOMICS
ENGINEERED SAFETY SYSTEMS
MATERIALS TESTING
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
PERFORMANCE
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
POWER PLANTS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RELIABILITY
SERVICE LIFE
STRESSES
TESTING
THERMAL DEGRADATION
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
US NRC
US ORGANIZATIONS
WEAR