New Reactors
Bill Borchardt
Director, Office of New Reactors
Nuclear Energy Worldwide
• There are currently 435 commercial
nuclear power reactors operating in 30
countries
• Nuclear power provides over 16% of the
world's electricity and 34% in the
European Union.
• 30 more power reactors are under
construction, while over 60 are firmly
planned
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Conditions of the mid-1980s did not
favor nuclear construction
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Energy efficiency improvements
Economic restructuring
Significant drop in electricity demand
Excess generating capacity
Oil (traded fossil energy) price collapse
Electricity market liberalization &
privatization
• Regulatory interventions after TMI
• High Interest rates
• Chernobyl
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Conditions of today are distinctly
different from the mid-1980s
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Strong energy demand growth
Fossil fuels no longer cheap
Energy supply security concerns
Attractive life cycle costs of nuclear power
Pollution control and climate change
Excellent operating experience
Renewables and efficiency improvements:
Low hanging fruit already harvested
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Human Development Index
1
0.9
0.8
Japan
France
Germany
Australia
US
Sw eden
Canada
Finland
Norw ay
Iceland
Argentina
Hungary
Philip p inesMexico
Russia
China Bulgaria
Turkey
0.7
Egypt
0.6
India
Pakistan
0.5
Nigeria
0.4
Mozambiqu
0.3
Niger
0.2
0
5000
10000
15000
kWh/capita
20000
25000
30000
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Energy Policy Act of 2005
• Authorizes federal risk insurance for the next 6
nuclear plants for delays associated with NRC
reviews ($500 M for first 2 plants, $250 M for
next 4 plants)
• Nuclear energy production tax credits for the first
6,000 megawatts of electricity from new
advanced reactors
• Authorizes $3 billion in nuclear research and
development to support NGNP and NP2010
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National Programs
• NP2010(Nuclear Power 2010): A joint
government/industry cost-shared effort to demonstrate
key regulatory processes associated with siting and
building new nuclear power plants
• NGNP (Next Generation Nuclear Plant): A demonstration
reactor at Idaho National Laboratory that will serve as a
test for advanced reactor technologies and for
cogeneration of hydrogen by nuclear energy.
• GNEP (Global Nuclear Energy Partnership): A program
to develop new proliferation-resistant recycling
technologies in order to produce more energy, reduce
waste, and minimize proliferation concerns.
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NRC Mission
NRC Mission Statement
To regulate the nation's civilian use of byproduct, source,
and special nuclear materials to ensure adequate
protection of public health and safety, to promote the
common defense and security, and to protect the
environment.
Office of New Reactors
The Office of New Reactors serves the public interest by
enabling the safe, secure, and environmentally
responsible use of nuclear power in meeting the nation's
future energy needs
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Resurgence of Nuclear
Power
• 29 new plants at 20 sites proposed by the
industry
• Five different plant designs proposed
– AP1000
– Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor
– Evolutionary Power Reactor
– Advanced Boiling Water Reactor
– Advanced Pressurized Water Reactor
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New Reactor Licensing Applications
An estimated schedule by Fiscal Year
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
AP1000 Program Review
TVA – Bellefonte (AL)
Hearing
Progress Energy - Harris (NC) Hearing
Duke – Lee Station (SC)
Hearing
Hearing
South Carolina E&G-Summer
Progress Energy–Levy County (FL) Hearing
Vogtle ESP
Hearing
Southern – Vogtle (GA) Hearing
Design Cert
ESBWR Program Review
Design Certification
North Anna ESP
Hearing
Dominion - North Anna (VA) Hearing
Grand Gulf ESP Hearing
Entergy – Grand Gulf (MS) Hearing
Hearing
Entergy – River Bend (LA)
EPR Program Review
Design Certification
UniStar-Calvert Cliffs (MD)
Hearing
Hearing
AmerenUE - Callaway
Hearing
Amarillo Power
Hearing
PPL - Susquehanna
Hearing
AEH – Bruneau, ID
Hearing
UniStar-Nine Mile Pt (NY)
ABWR Program Review
USAPWR Program Review
NRG Energy – South Texas Project
2014
* Schedules depicted for future
activities represent nominal
assumed review durations
based on submittal time frames
in letters of intent from
prospective applicants. Actual
schedules will be determined
when applications are
docketed.
Legend:
Design Certification
Early Site Permit
Combined License
Hearing
Post SER/EIS
Hearing (other hearing activities
occur during ESP/COL safety
and environmental reviews)
Hearing
DC – Mitsubishi USAPWR
TXU Power –Comanche Peak (TX) COL
Hearing
Hearing
DTE – Fermi - Vender TBD
Hearing
FPL - Site and Vendor TBD
Hearing
Exelon - Site and Vendor TBD
Unspecified
Clinton ESP
2013
Hearing
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8/13/07
Potential New Reactor Applicants
ESBWR
Dominion
Entergy
NuStart
EPR
Amarillo Power
Ameren UE
PPL Generation
UNISTAR
US APWR
TXU Power
AP1000
US ABWR
NRG Energy
Duke
NuStart
Progress Energy
S.C. Electric & Gas
Southern Co.
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Part 52 Licensing Process
• Provide a more predictable licensing process
• Resolve safety and environmental issues before
authorizing construction
• Provide for timely & meaningful public
participation
• Encourage standardization of nuclear plant
designs
• Reduce financial risk to nuclear plant licensees
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Part 52 Licensing Process
Pre-Construction
Early Site Permit
Or
Equivalent Siting Information*
Optional
Pre-Application
Review
Standard Design Certification
Or
Equivalent Design information*
Post-Construction
Combined
License Review,
Hearing, and
Decision*
Verification
Of
Regulations
with ITAAC
*A combined license application can
reference an early site permit, a
standard design certification, both, or
neither. If an early site permit and/or a
standard design certification is not
referenced, the applicant must provide
an equivalent level of information in
the combined license application.
December 13, 2005
Reactor
Operation
Decision
Early Site Permits (ESPs)
10 CFR Part 52, Subpart A
• An ESP is a license (“partial construction permit”)
• Review scope
– Site safety
– Environmental
– Emergency preparedness
• Mandatory hearing
• Permit good for 10-20 years
• Allows applicant to “bank” a site
• Two ESPs issued (Clinton and Grand Gulf), 2 under
review (North Anna and Vogtle)
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Standard Design Certifications
• Allows an applicant to obtain pre-approval of a standard
nuclear plant design through rulemaking
• Reduces licensing uncertainty by resolving design
issues early in the licensing process
• Facilitates standardization
• Higher degree of regulatory finality
• Certification good for 15 years
• 4 designs approved: (C-E System 80+; GE Advanced
Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR); Westinghouse AP600;
Westinghouse AP1000),
• 1 design under review (General Electric ESBWR),
• 2 designs in pre-application activities (Areva EPR and
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the Mitsubishi US APWR).
Combined Licenses
10 CFR Part 52, Subpart C
• Combined License (COL) = a combined
construction permit and operating license with
conditions
• A COL is the fundamental licensing process in
Part 52 for reducing the financial risks for electric
companies building nuclear power plants
• COL can reference ESP, DCR, both, or neither
• Must meet technical standards in Parts 50, 100,
etc.
• 40 year duration
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New Construction
• Nuclear plants will be built more rapidly than
their predecessors
• Detailed engineering will be essentially complete
by start of construction
• Modular construction techniques will be used
• Fabrication of components may begin before
COL issuance
• Components and modules will be fabricated in
other countries
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Security for New Reactors
• Commission Policy Statement modified to
encourage applicants to consider security early
in the design
• Staff to perform aircraft impact assessments on
new designs
• Part 52 to be revised to require applicants to
perform aircraft impact assessments
• Sharing insights with other countries
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Digital Instrumentation &
Controls
• Key Technical Issues:
– Cyber security
– diversity and defense-in-depth
– highly integrated control rooms - human
factors
– highly integrated control rooms communications
– risk-informed digital I&C
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Multinational Design Evaluation
Program
• Stage 1 – Trilateral agreement to share
information and reviews on EPR design
– Finland, France, and U.S.
• Stage 2 – 10 countries participating
– Exploring opportunities for convergence of
safety goals and regulatory practices
• Stage 3 – implementation stage
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Challenges for New
Construction
• Ability of the grid to support new
construction
• Large component manufacturing
• Workforce / staffing
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ABWR
• Design Certification
- May 1997
• 1350 MWe
evolutionary design
• Vessel mounted
internal recirc pumps
• Fine motion control
rod drives
• Digital I&C
• 3 full train ECCS
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10
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1 Reactor Pressure Vessel
2 Reactor Internal Pumps
3 Fine Motion Control Rod Drives
4 Main Steam Isolation Valves
5 Safety / Relief Valves
6 SRV Quenchers
7 Lower Drywell Equipment Platform
8 Horizontal Vents
9 Suppression Pool
10 Lower Drywell Flooder
11 Reinforced Concrete Containment
Vessel
12 Lower Drywell Equipment Hatch
13 Wetwell Personnel Lock
14 Hydraulic Control Units
15 Control Rod Drive Hydraulic
System Pumps
16 RHR Heat Exchanger
17 RHR Pump
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HPCF Pump
RCIC Steam Turbine and Pump
Diesel Generator
Standby Gas Treatment Filter and Fans
Spent Fuel Storage Pool
Refueling Platform
Shield Blocks
Steam Dryer and Separator
Storage Pool
Bridge Crane
Main Steam Lines
Feedwater Lines
Main Control Room
Turbine-Generator
Moisture Separator Reheater
Combustion Turbine-Generator
Air Compressor and Dryers
Switchyard
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System 80+
• Design Certification
- May 1997
• 1350 MWe
evolutionary design
• Complete plant design
based on System 80
NSSS and
Cherokee/Perkins BOP
• Advanced Control Room
• Severe accident
prevention and
mitigation
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AP600
• Design Certification
– December 1999
• 600 MWe advanced reactor
design
• Digital I&C
• Passive Safety Systems
– Passive safety injection
– Passive residual heat
removal
– External reactor vessel
cooling
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AP1000
• 1117 MWe
• Passive containment cooling
system with steel containment
vessel and natural circulation
air flow
• Gravity drain core makeup
tanks and refueling water
storage tanks
• Natural circulation heat
exchangers connected to RCS
• Design Certification Rule December 2005
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ESBWR
• “Economic and
Simplified BWR”
• 1390 MWe GE reactor
based on Simplified
BWR and Advanced
BWR
• Natural circulation
• Passive safety
systems
• Design Certification
Application submitted
and staff review
underway
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EPR
• 1600 MWe
evolutionary design
• Four 100% capacity
engineered safety feature
trains
• Double-walled containment
• Corium spreading area for
severe accident mitigation
• Pre-application review
beginning
• Design certification
application planned for late
CY 2007
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