Oconee: Is life extension in the cards for plants of this vintage

Recent nuclear-industry interest in plant life extension is prompted by the realization that the economics of plant life extension are clearly favorable. Studies sponsored by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) show that replacing even the most costly nuclear components can easily be justified, if the life of the plant can be extended just a few years. This may not be apparent for the early, small plants, but its applicability to the larger plants that started to appear in the early 70s-such as the three 860-MW Oconee units-is hard to dispute. The large capital investment in the typical nuclear station and extensive decommissioning costs add impetus to life-extension efforts. The same is true for fossil plants, and they are being successfully refurbished to extend their operating lives. Refurbishment of a fossil plant is comparatively simple, however, especially with regard to licensing and environmental qualifications where recognized standards are already in place. In the case of nuclear plants, much work must be done before all the pertinent issues and alternatives are identified. Potentially conflicting objectives may require resolution before a utility makes long-term decisions about life extension. For example, a utility may decide to designate a plant to accommodate grid loadmore » swings. In the near term, this may be a logical choice. However, the long-term negative aspects of component thermal cycling should be considered, especially if plant life extension is deemed important.« less