A Publication

Nuclear Leads the

8 Way in Cybersecurity

ENRICHMENT 3
FUEL FOR THOUGHT 5
NUCLEAR EVENTS 7
No. 5

NUCLEUS 1
Improving Cybersecurity at Nuke Plants 8
Volume 8

NUCLEUS 2
Bridge Crane Installed
Ahead of Planned Outage
14
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

NUCLEUS 3
Rethinking Steel-Plate
Composite Construction
16
NUCLEUS 4
What’s Happening at
POWER-GEN International
23
NUCLEAR NEWS 26

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 ENRICHMENT
NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL > SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 3

Operating nuclear plants

beyond 60 years, new project
updates & more at NUCLEAR
POWER International 2015
BY SHARRYN DOTSON, EDITOR

N
uclear power plants around the world are shutting down
and operating longer. Electricity prices either benefit
plant operators or can be the reason a plant closes. The
industry is in a state of extremes and experts from around the
world will be in Las Vegas to discuss what the industry must do
to overcome the setbacks as well as continue the momentum.
NUCLEAR POWER International 2015 runs December
8-10 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The conference and
expo will feature three conference sessions and one mega-ses-
sion sure to inform attendees about different issues affecting
the nuclear power generation industry.
The conference begins Tuesday, December 8 with the
POWER-GEN International 2015 Keynote Address titled
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1509NPI_3 3 9/24/15 2:21 PM

 CONTINUED
California ISO, Stuart Hemphill, Se-
nior Vice President of Power Supply
and Operational Services with South-
ern California Edison, Robert Flexon,
president & CEO of Dynegy, and Ste-
ven Edwards, Chairman, President &
CEO of Black & Veatch. We will have
more on POWER-GEN International
2015 in a preview written by confer-
ence Chairman Russell Ray (page 23).
The first session is called “To Close
or Not To Close,” which focuses on
the economics and regulations be-
hind the closure of nuclear power
plants around the world. The industry
is working to find a solution to keep
plants open, but many questions are
left unanswered. Why are these plants
closing? What can be done to change
the financial situations? How do we
keep the grid safe when these plants
shut down?
Wednesday morning is the session
titled “60 Years and Beyond.” Nuclear
power plants are being designed to
operate beyond the 40- and even 60-
year timeframe, and experts will take
1509NPI_4 4
NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL
a look at how pushing reactors’ lifes-
pan can affect other parts of the in-
dustry, such as licensing, equipment,
maintenance and even financial and
regulatory aspects.
Wednesday afternoon’s session fo-
cuses on new nuclear projects around
the world. Speakers will discuss the
regulatory and licensing processes of
constructing new projects, as well as
how international cooperation is help-
ing emerging and established indus-
tries to get financing and government
support.
Thursday’s mega-session focuses
on how modern technology can help
nuclear power fleets, from SCC tech-
nology to potential air entrainment in
the spent fuel pool cooling water sys-
tem.
The plenary session is also Thurs-
day afternoon. It is a panel discussion
that looks at the transitioning of the
power generation industry.
There are also plenty of opportu-
nities to network with other attend-
ees. Monday, Dec. 7 is the Projects
>
ENRICHMENT
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 4
ENGINEERING STRENGTH
of the Year Awards Gala. The event
starts at 6:30 p.m. with a three-course
meal followed by the winners of the
Projects of the Year, Woman of the
Year and Papers of the Year awards.
Peabody Energy will also recognize
winners of the Advanced Energy for
Life Clean Coal Awards. In addition,
there are several tech tours to choose
from Monday morning, including
Ivanpah solar plant and Hoover Dam.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, stick Nuclear power plant operating
practices and related decision
around after the exhibit floor closes to share making are highly scrutinized
by many stakeholders. Structural
drinks with 22,000 of your closest friends. Integrity can provide our engineering
There will be bars located throughout the strength to help you meet your
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exhibit hall. Be sure to also check out the Our engineering strength comes in many forms --
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If you prefer to get your day started
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9/24/15 2:21 PM
 FUEL FOR THOUGHT
NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL > SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 5

Under the Big Tent (Maybe)

BY BRIAN SCHIMMOLLER, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR of greenhouse gas commitments, established

Y
ou may not see them, but many tents are being pitched around the world. A number of by participating countries through the Kyoto
climate-related “circuses” are on the docket this year, and it’s an open question whether Protocol in 2000, run out in 2020.
the circus strong men will let nuclear completely under the tent or if nuclear will be Interestingly, the Paris organizers are calling
peaking in from the outside. for “contributions” rather than “commitments”
Circus No. 1 is the United Nations’ Sustainability Summit in New York in September, this time around, but the contributions have
which will establish sustainable development goals to guide policy and funding for the next to go further than existing commitments. In
15 years. The sustainable development goals are a follow-on to the millennium development somewhat of a marketing ploy, the Paris con-
goals formulated in 2000. ference is intended to spark a “race to the top.”
Energy is a core element of the proposed sustainable development goals: “Ensure access to While COP21 appears to be taking a relative-
affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.” And climate change gets prime bill- ly agnostic view on solution pathways, nuclear
ing as well: “We are determined to address decisively the threat posed by climate change and is not overtly part of the race. I didn’t find any
environmental degradation. The global nature of climate change calls for the widest possible mention of nuclear on the COP21 web site.
international cooperation aimed at accelerating the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.” So I guess we can say Tent No. 2 is open,
Clearly, nuclear would have a role in this call for the “widest possible international coopera- but prime seating may not be available.
tion,” right? Apparently not. As part of the targets laid out in a draft document published ahead Circus No. 3 is the Clean Power Plan, the
of this year’s meetings, there is no mention of nuclear, although fossil energy gets a nod: “By pending U.S. regulation that would cut carbon
2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate clean energy research and technology, in- pollution from the power sector by 30% from
cluding renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel technology….” 2005 levels. The proposed regulation lays out
Tent No. 1 is looking rather exclusive. four building blocks for achieving this goal.
Circus No. 2 is the 21st meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP21), or more simply, Nuclear qualifies under the third building
the Paris Climate Talks, scheduled for late November/early December. The goal of this gather- block – using more zero and low-emitting pow-
ing is to develop a new international agreement on climate – applicable to all countries – with er sources – but the extent of the contribution
an aim to keep global warming below 2 degrees C above pre-industrial levels. The current slate may be limited. In setting the carbon intensity

1509NPI_5 5 9/24/15 2:21 PM

 CONTINUED
NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL > SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
goal for each state, the proposed guideline
already includes those nuclear plants in
operation and those under construction.
And for those plants under construction
in Tennessee, Georgia and South Caro-
lina, it assumes they are already operating
at 90% capacity factor, making the state’s
carbon intensity goal more stringent than
it otherwise would be.
In a nod to the importance of nuclear,
the proposed rule recognizes that some
nuclear plants are at risk of retiring due
to economic or other forces. The carbon
intensity target, therefore, enables states
to add 6% of current nuclear electricity
generation to the denominator of each
state’s target. But at-risk plants are not
evenly distributed across states, and
the at-risk factor may have other unin-
tended consequences. For example, if
a state lost all its nuclear generation, it
could replace only 6% of it with other
zero-carbon resources and still meet
the intensity target, but total carbon
emissions would increase.
While there is reason to believe
the final rule will modify the nuclear
1509NPI_6 6
FUEL FOR THOUGHT
6
treatment to some extent, for now at 12
least, the flaps on Tent #3 are up, but
maybe only a few inches.
Some entities are trying to cast the
tent support poles wider and raise the
flaps further. In early May, for example,
the presidents of almost 40 scientific
and international societies – represent-
ing 50,000 members and 36 countries
– signed the “Nuclear for Climate Dec-
laration” at the International Congress
on Advances in Nuclear Power Plants in
Nice, France. The declaration calls on
all nations to deploy the “widest pos-
sible portfolio of low-carbon technolo-
gies available, including nuclear energy,
in order to reduce carbon dioxide emis-
sions and meet other energy goals.” NuScale Power has created a new kind of nuclear power plant: one that is safe, reliable, and
economical. The innovative design incorporates all of the components for steam generation and
Will that help? Theoretically, yes, heat exchange into a single integrated unit, the NuScale Power Module™ (NPM). Using up to
but the scientific community making 12 of these 50MWe (gross) NPMs, a NuScale nuclear power plant can provide 600 MWe (gross)
of safe, carbon-free, electrical generation. The compact design of the NPM allows it to be built and
such proclamations does not equate assembled in a U.S. factory, then shipped to a prepared site for easy deployment. The design
eliminates many costly, complex systems while cutting-edge manufacturing cuts time and cost
to political action. We need those in
of production. The result: a power source that is simultaneously safe, reliable, scalable, carbon-free,
charge to understand one of the subtle and economical. Innovation: the Element of Nu™.
attractions of the circus: that all the
participants have their own acts, but
all are welcome under the big tent if NuScale Powerr
they can perform. wer
nuscalepower.com
m
© 2015 NuScale Power, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
9/24/15 2:21 PM
 Plan today to attend NUCLEAR POWER International in Orlando, Florida, NUCLEAR EVENTS
U.S.A., Dec. 8-10, 2015. Register at www.nuclearpowerinternational.com. NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL > SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 7

S M T W TH F S

1 2 3
OCTOBER 2015 4-7
International Uranium Fuel Seminar
19-23
International Conference on Global
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Emergency Preparedness and Response
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Beaver Creek, CO Vienna, Austria
http://www.nei.org/Conferences/ http://www-pub.iaea.org/iaeameet-
18 19 20 21 22 23 24 International-Uranium-Fuel-Seminar ings/46533/International-Conference-on-
Research-Reactors-Safe-Management-and-
25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Effective-Utilization
15
Organizational Meeting of the Convention
on Nuclear Safety
Vienna, Austria
http://www-pub.iaea.org/iaeameet-
ings/50405/Organizational-Meeting-of-the-
Convention-on-Nuclear-Safety

S M T W TH F S

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8-12 18-20
NOVEMBER 2015 ANS 2015 ANS Winter Meeting
and Nuclear Technology Expo
Licensing Forum
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Omni Shoreham Hotel
Marriott Warman Park Washington, DC
15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Washington DC http://answinter.org/
http://answinter.org/
22 23 24 25 26 27 28

29 30 18-20
Workshop on Best Practices in Physics-Based Fault
Rupture Models for Seismic Hazard Assessment of
Nuclear Installations
Vienna, Austria
http://www-pub.iaea.org/iaeameetings/50896/Workshop-
on-Best-Practices-in-Physics-Based-Fault-Rupture-Models-
for-Seismic-Hazard-Assessment-of-Nuclear-Installations

1509NPI_7 7 9/24/15 2:21 PM

 NUCLEUS
NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL > SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 8

Fundamental Issues:
Nuclear Generators Lead Cyber Security
ANDREW GINTER, VP INDUSTRIAL SECURITY, WATERFALL SECURITY SOLUTIONS

W
e have all heard the phrase “oh that’s for nuclear – they’re different.”
While nuclear is “different” in many realms, it is not so different in the
realm of industrial cyber security. Cyber-attacks, attack tools and the
attackers themselves only become more sophisticated over time. The risk of physi-
cal sabotage using a cyber-attack is common to nuclear and non-nuclear sites.
Yes, nuclear generators are more concerned than most about both physical and cyber
Waterfall Security’s unidirectional gateway is one
security, but the “sophisticated cyber-attacks” that nuclear generators were talking about of many ways businesses can keep computers and
five years ago are today encoded into publicly available, powerful and easy-to-use attack other technology safe from outside threats.
Courtesy: Waterfall Security
tools. These tools make yesterday’s “sophisticated attacks” accessible to large numbers of
hackers of modest talents, and even to unskilled “script kiddies.”
Nuclear generator security people have been talking about issues that are becoming integrity. Finally, try hard not to shut the the control system running correctly) and
equally troubling for the entire electric sector and for industrial control systems in all site down at all. Protect the site’s availabil- the third priority was confidentiality. In
industries. ity, because every hour the site is running the world of nuclear generators, though,
the bank reaps millions of dollars in trans- we never hear any of this “CIA vs. AIC”
SECURITY IS ALL ABOUT SAFETY action fees. terminology.
We can start with priorities. Industrial security standards and guidance published in the Common wisdom among control- The first priority at nuclear generators
early 2000s, such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 800- system security practitioners in the early was, is and always will be safety. Cyber
82r1 and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 62443-1-1, all talk about 2000s was that, in the ICS world, this security breaches are systematic failures
“CIA” versus “AIC.” Conventional IT security priorities tend to be, in this specific or- triad is reversed. The highest priority for of safety equipment, not random fail-
der, confidentiality, integrity and availability (CIA). If the banking website starts leaking control systems was thought to be avail- ures, and so cannot be modeled by stan-
credit card numbers to the Internet, shut it down to protect confidentiality. If the site ability (keep the control system running), dard safety calculations. Cyber security is
starts letting people transfer money they don’t have, shut it down to protect database the second priority was integrity (keep therefore essential to safety; digital safety

1509NPI_8 8 9/24/15 2:21 PM

 CONTINUED
systems are worthless if they are compro-
mised. The second nuclear security prior-
ity is always reliability: prevent damage to
the generating unit, and keep the lights
on. And yes, the third priority is confiden-
tiality.
This “safety and reliability” wording is
being discussed in a number of control-
system standards forums. Revision 2 of
the NIST 800-82 “Guide to Industrial
Control Systems (ICS) Security” is the
first major standard to pick up the new
wording. Several other draft standards
from different organizations are looking at
this new wording, as well. It is the safety
and reliability of the physical processes
that are the cyber-security focus at most
industrial sites, not abstract CIA/AIC at-
tributes of the industrial control-system
computers and networks.
SECURITY STARTS AT THE PERIMETER
In a real sense, all cyber security starts
at the cyber/physical security perim-
eter. If a control system ever makes the
transition from a trustworthy state to a
1509NPI_9 9
compromised state, the compromise had
to originate somewhere. Compromise al-
ways comes from “the outside.” It comes
from network attacks, software/malware
coming into the control system, people
with malicious intent entering the secure
area to mis-operate the control system
and hardware components with embed-
ded software crossing through the pe-
rimeter.
Classic network perimeter protection
in old-school ICS security standards is all
about firewalls. The problem with fire-
walls is that they are porous by design.
At their core, all firewalls are routers,
because all firewalls forward messages.
Some of the forwarded messages contain
attacks, in spite of every firewall ven-
dor’s best efforts to filter “good” packets
from “bad.” Fundamentally, every path
through a firewall intended to permit
data to flow out of a control system net-
work also allows attacks back into that
“protected” network.
In 2010, the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) effectively forbade
NUCLEUS
NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL > SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 9
American nuclear generators from deploy- nations, as well, either because of a similar
ing firewalls to connect generating-unit regulatory imperative, or simply because
safety and control networks, directly or the technology provides such dramatic
indirectly, to any less-trusted network. As threat reduction benefits. Unidirectional
a result, to balance between security and gateways permit information to leave in-
operational needs, all American nuclear dustrial networks and are physically inca-
generators deployed unidirectional secu- pable of sending any message or any infor-
rity gateway technology. Unidirectional mation back into protected networks to
gateways are deployed widely in other put those networks at risk. Unidirectional
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 CONTINUED
gateway hardware makes the gateways se-
cure, and unidirectional server replication
software makes the gateways plug-and-
play replacements for firewalls.
Since 2010, unidirectional gateways
have been deployed widely outside the
nuclear generation industry, and have ap-
peared in many ICS security standards
and guidance documents. For example,
the 2013 North American Electric Reli-
ability Corporation Critical Infrastructure
Protection Version 5 (NERC CIP V5)
standards recognize the security of uni-
directional gateways in the definition of
the NERC term “External Routable Con-
nectivity.” The standards relax roughly
one-third of the CIP V5 requirements for
medium impact power plants with unidi-
rectional gateways deployed, in recogni-
tion of the superior security provided by
the gateways. The proposed 2015 NERC
CIP V6 standards also include all of these
exemptions and introduce additional ones.
The NIST 800-82r2, International Soci-
ety of Automation (ISA)/IEC 62443-3-3,
and European Network and Information
1509NPI_10 10
Security Agency (ENISA) control-system
standards also recognize the strength of
unidirectional gateways.
The 2014 French Agence nationale
de la sécurité des systems d’information
(ANSSI) ICS security standards go even
further. ANSSI groups control systems
into three classes, based on the impor-
tance of the industrial site. The standards
permit the use of firewalls for only the
least important Class 1 networks. AN-
SSI states that all connections between
the more important Class 2 networks and
any less-trusted networks “should be uni-
directional” toward the less-trusted net-
works. For the most important Class 3
networks, ANSSI outright forbids the use
of firewalls.
The ANSSI standards make this point
very clearly: firewalls are permitted for
partitioning networks at the same level of
trust, but may not be used to connect net-
works at different trust levels.
REMOTE ACCESS
Historically, guidance for interactive
NUCLEUS
NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL > SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 10
remote access to industrial sites echoed other nuclear generation jurisdictions
standard guidance for IT systems: use throughout the world.
encryption, firewalls, two-factor au-
thentication and “jump hosts” – ma-
chines to terminate remote desktop
or other interactive sessions outside
of the control system, and permit DEDICATED TO DELIVERING
only connections from the “jump
host” machines to control networks.
CRITICAL POWER WHERE
The thinking was that if these mea- WE’RE NEEDED MOST.
sures were secure enough for corpo-
rate networks, they should be enough
for control networks, as well. Bluntly
though, the problem with this ap-
proach is that corporate networks are
not particularly secure.
In 2010, the United States’ Nu-
clear Energy Institute (NEI) NEI-
08-09 guidance and the NRC-5.71
rules effectively banned interac-
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 CONTINUED
The rationale for banning remote ac-
cess is simple: there is no way to assure
the trustworthiness of remote endpoints.
Modern attack tools and techniques rou-
tinely defeat anti-virus, security updates
and other IT-centric protections. If a re-
mote laptop or workstation is compro-
mised, no two-factor authentication, en-
cryption or jump hosts will save us. A
compromised endpoint computer is no
longer running trusted software. Such a
machine is going to do whatever its at-
tacker wants the machine to do, not what
the owner or operator wants the machine
to do. If we trust a compromised machine
to operate any part of our control system
remotely, we have handed our control sys-
tem over to our attacker.
What is the state of remote access out-
side of nuclear generation? ISA ICS secu-
rity training material describes remote ac-
cess technology as “high risk.” The 2014
ANSSI standards “strongly discourage”
remote access for Class 2 networks, and
forbid such access for Class 3 networks.
The current NERC CIP V5 standards
1509NPI_11 11
permit remote access, provided that IT-
standard encryption, two-factor and oth-
er security controls are deployed, but this
may change. The American Federal Ener-
gy Regulatory Commission (FERC), in its
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR)
for the proposed CIP V6 standards, has
expressed concern about the adequacy of
CIP V5/V6 controls for interactive remote
access, and has invited comments from all
stakeholders as to what might be done to
address these concerns.
Given the clear direction on the part
of the nuclear industry, and the strong in-
dications outside of nuclear, the future of
remote access seems clear. Within a hand-
ful of years, expect remote access to be
permitted or recommended only for un-
important, expendable networks and ex-
pendable industrial processes.
REMOVABLE MEDIA
Sometimes, removable media, such as
USB Flash sticks and CD-ROMs, are es-
sential to the configuration and operation
of industrial control systems. At the same
NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL
time, any medium that can store informa-
tion, can also store attacks and malware.
This is a serious problem.
Nuclear generators have discussed this
risk at length, and, for now, have settled
on a handful of security controls to deal
with the risks of removable media:
• When moving information from con-
trol systems to less-trusted networks,
use only brand new media – no excep-
tions. The thinking is that any medi-
um exposed to a corporate network or
other untrusted network is potentially
compromised, and so untrustworthy.
• When moving information from “out-
side” networks into trusted networks:
• use brand new media and expose it to
a minimum number of “outside” ma-
chines;
• prefer to use CD-ROMS to USB Flash
sticks, because of the risk of USB firm-
ware compromise;
• scan the media on at least one dedi-
cated anti-malware scanning machine,
with at least four different anti-mal-
ware engines;
NUCLEUS
> SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 11
• once files have been identified as prob-
ably “clean,” copy those files to a new
CD-ROM, and carry the CD-ROM
into the trusted network; and
• as much as possible, try to load these
CD-ROMs onto an isolated test-bed
for functionality and security testing,
before loading them into live equip-
ment.
This entire process is viewed as high
risk, and nuclear sites strongly discourage
use of this process at all. That said, though,
sometimes the process is unavoidable,
such as when control-system software
components are being enhanced or up-
graded. Many in the nuclear community
view these current measures as interim
measures and are evaluating alternatives,
such as unidirectional FLIP technology.
FLIP operates as a unidirectional security
gateway, except that it switches the ori-
entation on a scheduled, basis to enable
information to flow unidirectionally into
the protected network from time to time.
In the wider world, concerns over the
safety of removable media are only starting
9/24/15 2:21 PM
 CONTINUED
to be discussed. The ISA/IEC 62443-3-3 2 and Class 3 networks are required to do
and the proposed NERC CIP V6 stan- what nuclear generators do today. Individ-
dards contain only vague IT-like provisions ual sites are also deploying unidirectional
for managing removable media, roughly FLIP technology to automate these anti-
amounting to “use removable media only virus checks and other security controls
on systems with anti-virus software in- and even further reduce the use of remov-
stalled.” The 2014 ANSSI standards are able media on industrial systems.
more specific. ANSSI encourages Class Thus, it seems that stronger controls for
1 networks to do what nuclear genera- removable media on non-nuclear control
tors do today. The less-expendable Class systems are coming, but are somewhat
further in the future than remote access
REGISTER TODAY!
WWW.NUCLEARPOWERINTERNATIONAL.COM
and unidirectional gateway controls.
SUPPLY-CHAIN PROTECTION
Historically, industrial supply-chain
concerns were focused on safety. There
have been cases where distributors were
found to be selling, deliberately or inad-
ADVANCING CLEAN ENERGY vertently, equipment that claimed a high
Safety Integrity Level rating, when the
DECEMBER 8–10, 2015
equipment was, in fact, counterfeit, and
LAS VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER - CENTRAL AND NORTH HALLS not SIL rated at all.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
In nuclear generators, supply-chain in-
OWNED & PRODUCED BY: PRESENTED BY: SUPPORTED BY:
tegrity discussions have expanded in recent
years to include control-system computer
components of all types. Supply-chain
1509NPI_12 12
NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL
security concerns include recent reports
that nation-state intelligence agencies had
inserted remote control radio components
into brand new computers that were in-
tercepted in transit between a distributor
and a customer, and concerns about CPUs
and vulnerable firmware embedded in
USB devices.
The 2010 NEI and NRC rules require
“measures to protect against supply-chain
threats,” including trusted distribution
paths, vendor validation and tamper-proof
seals. These measures are more easily re-
quired than delivered, though, especially
for cheap, high-volume USB components,
including Flash sticks, keyboards and
mice. How to maximize the effectiveness
and minimize the cost of addressing sup-
ply-chain risks are open issues and topics
of frequent discussion in nuclear security
meetings and workshops.
Discussions of supply-chain security
in the non-nuclear world are only just be-
ginning. In the FERC NOPR for NERC
CIP V6, FERC gives notice of its intent
to order NERC to develop supply-chain
NUCLEUS
> SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 12
security provisions for a future revision of
the CIP standards. FERC’s stated reason
for the coming order is “recent malware
campaigns targeting supply-chain ven-
dors.” This is presumably a reference to
recent “watering hole” attacks, where con-
trol-system vendor websites were hacked
to distribute malware, as well as legiti-
mate control-system software updates. In
addition, while NIST 800-82r2 provides
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9/24/15 3:23 PM
 CONTINUED
NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL > SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
no specific measures for ICS supply-chain
protection, the standard does refer read-
ers to supply-chain security controls listed
in the IT-focused NIST 800-53.
LOOKING FORWARD
Once again, because cyber-attack tools
and cyber-sabotage tools only become
more powerful and easier to use over time,
what was regarded yesterday as a sophisti-
cated attack that only the most important
nuclear control systems must address, is
likely to be regarded tomorrow as a perva-
sive, universally available attack capability
that all industrial sites must consider.
Today, in many industries, safety, reli-
ability and equipment protection priorities
are driving deployments of unidirectional
gateway technologies and prohibitions
against remote access. Unidirectional
gateways defeat even those modern at-
tacks that firewalls are ineffective against,
without impairing plant to business com-
munications that are so valuable to mod-
ern enterprises.
In addition, removable-media controls
1509NPI_13 13
NUCLEUS WWW.NUCLEARPOWERINTERNATIONAL.COM
13
and supply-chain protection are issues
are on the horizon for all “important”
industrial sites. In short, control-system
security standards from many authori-
ties are evolving rapidly to reflect and
address modern attack capabilities that
nuclear generators have been dealing
with for years.
Today, the real questions facing all
electric-sector owners and operators are
“which of our sites are important enough
to protect with modern security mea-
ADVANCING CLEAN ENERGY
sures?” and “which of our sites are ex-
pendable enough to continue protecting
against only yesterday’s attacks?”
Really – are any of our industrial sites
expendable?
SAVE THE DATE
Andrew Ginter is the vice president of N
Nuclear energy remains a viable, clean and safe option for meeting
tthe global demands around the world. Advancing clean energy
industrial security at Waterfall Security So- ccontinues to be the main emphasis because of the benefits it
lutions, a provider of Unidirectional Securi- DECEMBER 8–10, 2015 provides for our health, economy and environment.
p
LAS VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER - CENTRAL AND NORTH HALLS
Nuclear Power International provides the nuclear power industry the
N
ty Gateways for industrial control networks perfect venue to gather, network and exchange information about
p
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA aadvancing clean energy in today’s changing world.
and critical infrastructures. Ginter has 25
OWNED PRESENTED BY: SUPPORTED BY:
years of experience leading the development & PRODUCED BY:
of control system software products, control
system middleware products and industrial
cybersecurity products.
9/24/15 2:22 PM

NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL
Cook Nuclear Generating Station Crane
Installation Saves Outage Time and Dollars
BY DAVID HUGHES, VICE PRESIDENT, DAY & ZIMMERMANN
R
etrofitting nuclear power plant turbines has a positive impact
on long-term plant reliability and performance. In the case of
the Donald C. Cook Nuclear Generating Station in Michi-
gan, a retrofit has been scheduled to support plant operation beyond
the current license period. Achieving the long-term benefits of this
retrofit presented some short-term challenges. Turbine retrofit proj-
ects are costly, complex and, when not properly managed, can result
in lengthy outages. Knowing this, American Electric Power (AEP)
employees at the plant were looking for ways to minimize outage
time for the upcoming retrofit scheduled for 2016.
Among the projects to effectively execute the retrofit was the in-
stallation of a second bridge crane in the turbine building. The crane
would be used to move much of the heavy material needed to per-
form maintenance on the turbine, while allowing the existing large
Day & Zimmermann and AEP installed a second bridge crane in the operating Cook turbine crane to be free to support other outage activities. Typically,
nuclear plant in advance of a planned maintenance outage.
this installation would be planned into the outage and could take up
to 10 days to complete. Additionally, standard industry practices include a labor-intensive solution that would involve either the par-
tial removal of the turbine building roof or the removal of the end wall to allow for materials to be brought into the turbine building.
AEP Manager of Projects Scott Dailey and his team wanted to see if they could find a way to eliminate this extra outage time
by installing the additional crane while the plant remained online. To do this, they would have to develop a unique approach
that minimized risk to the station and maximized efficiency. In 2012, with the retrofit outage still years away, AEP turned to its
engineering and crane partners and to its on-site maintenance contractor Day & Zimmermann for solutions.
1509NPI_14 14
NUCLEUS
> SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 14
INNOVATIVE COMPONENT
ROTATION SOLUTION
The process of lifting heavy materials
while a plant is still online is a high-risk
procedure that requires careful planning.
The AEP team was keenly aware of the
2013 accident at Arkansas Nuclear 1 in
which the stator of the unit’s old genera-
tor fell during a maintenance procedure.
To prevent a similar incident during the
bridge crane installation, AEP began
planning for this project in 2012.
AEP and its engineering partner de-
veloped an installation solution using a
unique method for component rotation
in an operating plant that was less in-
vasive to plant structures. The innova-
tive approach used multiple telescoping
gantry systems and a hydraulic turn-
table to safely lift and rotate compo-
nents for the 250-ton bridge crane. The
configuration of the gantry system used in
this project was an engineered temporary
lift assembly. Two 88-foot girders weigh-
ing as much as 110,000 pounds each were
lifted 60 feet above the turbine floor and
placed in position on the existing crane
9/24/15 2:22 PM
 CONTINUED
NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL
rails between two operating units.
Because this was a first-of-its-kind ap-
plication, a proof of concept was required.
In January 2014, about six months be-
fore the crane’s scheduled installation,
the project team, which included AEP,
various crane and installation vendors,
and Day & Zimmermann, worked with
the utility to perform an off-site lifting
demonstration. The team simulated
each major component lift and position-
ing movement. The demonstration was
done outside which added weather ele-
ments to a process that would ultimately
be completed indoors. Additionally, the
load was intentionally taken beyond the
operational limits established to confirm
there was sufficient margin to manage
potential negative scenarios during in-
stallation. ASME NQA-1-2012 requires
a dynamic load test equal to 110 percent
of the rated load, but the AEP team chose
to proceed with a more conservative 125
percent rated load test because of the risk
involved with performing these lifts on
the turbine deck between two operating
units.
1509NPI_15 15
NUCLEUS POWER-GEN.COM
> SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 15
DEC. 8—10, 2015
LAS VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER
LAS VEGAS, NV
The gantry lifts were constantly
#POWERGEN
monitored by LED levels and survey-
ors at multiple stations to confirm the
THE WORLD’S
operation remained within established
limits. The stability of the configured
LARGEST
system was validated along with the
operating team’s ability to control the
loads within levelness criteria.
Following the planning phase, AEP
worked with its vendors to complete
the actual installation. The project was POWER GENERATION EVENT
completed on time and under budget
with no safety incidents. Collabora-
tion between Day & Zimmermann,
AEP and the other project vendors NETWORK WITH 22,000 ATTENDEES
was a key component in delivering a
safe and efficient installation. From
VISIT WITH 1,400 EXHIBITORS
start to finish, the project took 18,000
LEARN FROM 400+ INDUSTRY SPEAKERS
work hours.
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THE RESULTS
Keeping the plant online during the OWNED & PRODUCED BY: PRESENTED BY: SUPPORTED BY:
installation saved AEP significant time
and money. The second bridge crane is
now a permanent fixture in the turbine
building, and will help AEP save time
and money in future outages.
9/24/15 2:22 PM

NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL
rebar and increase sustainability using
Rethinking Steel-Plate Composite “green concrete”, (ii) improve resiliency
(SC) Construction for Improved
by using seismic isolation methods to re-
duce the seismic demands on structures
Sustainability and Resiliency of Nuclear and supported commodities, or (iii) use
steel-plate composite (SC) construction
Power Plant Structures to address both resiliency and sustain-
ability aspects. While RC structures are
BY SANJEEV R. MALUSHTE, BECHTEL FELLOW AND
TECHNOLOGY MANAGER, BECHTEL CORPORATION
often the default option, the SC struc-
AMIT H. VARMA, PROFESSOR OF CIVIL ENGINEERING, tures option has been gaining attention
PURDUE UNIVERSITY
in recent years because it provides mod-
INTRODUCTION ular construction and schedule contrac-
The March 2011 events at Fukushima nuclear power plant have underscored the tion advantages while also leading to a
importance of resiliency of nuclear power plants for beyond-design-basis events, es- robust design against seismic, blast, and
pecially seismic related. As a consequence, the resiliency of existing fleet of U.S. impact loads. Several Standard Plant
plants for various types of external hazards is being (or will be) investigated using suppliers for Advanced Light Water Re-
Probabilistic Risk Analysis (PRA) evaluation or other suitable techniques. In case the actor (ALWR) and Small Modular Re-
plant’s existing design basis for those hazards is deemed inadequate, then appropriate actor (SMR) vendors are either consid-
plant upgrades, if needed, will be identified and implemented to reduce the plant’s ering or have already incorporated the
risk profile. use of SC members (primarily SC walls)
For new nuclear power plants, there is greater expectation of safety and resiliency, in their designs. The seismic isolation
e.g., impact loading due to a commercial jetliner, with stipulation of withstanding a option is also being explored by a few
range of man-made and natural disaster impacts. Similarly, there is an increasing ex- standard plant vendors, as it can provide
pectation that the design and construction of the plants incorporate more sustainabil- a dramatic reduction in plant’s seismic
ity features, including minimizing the carbon footprint and material use. There are risk, and has the potential for seismic iso-
some options for achieving these goals to a varying degree: (i) improve resiliency of the lation of individual equipment instead of
traditional reinforced concrete (RC) design by using thicker walls and/or additional plant/structure-wide seismic isolation.
1509NPI_16 16
NUCLEUS
> SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 16
THE SC OPTION – A DIFFERENT
APPROACH FOR NUCLEAR POWER
PLANT CONSTRUCTION
There is renewed interest in nuclear
power in the U.S. and the world because
of growing concerns of global warming
and energy security. Significant levels of
new nuclear power plant construction
have been ongoing for the past several
years, and the trend is expected to grow
further. For this trend to be maintained,
resiliency, sustainability, and afford-
ability issues need to be addressed be-
cause construction could be underway
for multiple numbers of projects. With
this in mind, the nuclear power indus-
try is exploring new and innovative ap-
proaches to optimize the constructabil-
ity of new power plants. It appears likely
that the use of modular mechanical and
structural components will provide the
single most significant area of cost and
schedule savings for the next generation
of power plants.
Steel-plate composite (SC) construc-
tion, which requires prefabricated steel-
plate type structural modules, provides
9/24/15 2:22 PM
 CONTINUED
obvious benefits of modular construc-
tion leading to schedule contraction. As
illustrated in Figure 1, the steel face-
plates serve as formwork during con-
crete placement, and through compos-
ite action enabled by shear connectors
they also serve as equivalent reinforcing
steel (rebar) during the service life of the
structure. The use of faceplates thus
eliminates formwork and rebar while
facilitating fabrication of large empty
modules that can be brought to their fi-
nal location in the field for expeditious
concrete placement (see Figure 2). Such
modular composite construction ap-
proach has already been incorporated by
some standard plant suppliers, and now
with the impending issuance of the first
(AISC-issued) US consensus standard
for its design, SC construction usage is
likely to expand further.
The schedule advantage of SC con-
struction is well understood, and is the
prime reason for its expanding embrace
in the nuclear industry. The use of large
scale and well planned/executed SC con-
struction offers a promising opportunity
1509NPI_17 17
for also delivering increased resiliency
and sustainability benefits.
Figure 1a Reinforced Concrete
rebar
concrete
form
Figure 1b Steel- Plate Reinforced Concrete
steel plate
(e.g., 4.5-6.0mm)
concrete
Illustrations of RC and SC Construction for walls (from MPR-2610, a
report to DOE)
BACKGROUND
Nuclear power plant construction in-
volves extensive use of reinforced con-
crete (primarily because it is a cheap op-
tion for radiation shielding). As a result,
NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL
the construction schedule has been tra-
ditionally prolonged due to extensive
and complex rebar cage fabrication, erec-
tion, and disassembly of elaborate con-
crete formwork. A 2004 report by the
U.S. Department of Energy, “Study of
Construction Technologies and Schedules,
O&M Staffing and Cost, Decommission-
ing Costs and Funding Requirements for
Advanced Reactor Designs”, conserva-
tively estimates that use of SC
modules in place of conven-
tional reinforced concrete can
headed stud
tie bar reduce total construction time
sleeve for piping by at least several months. SC
embedded plate modules typically have steel
on the outside to act as stay-in-
place formwork and equivalent
rebar, thus eliminating the as-
sociated labor and schedule-in-
tensive activities. Extensive use
of prefabrication and modular
construction in Asian power plants has
already significantly expedited construc-
tion times, reduced overall costs, and
optimized energy and material use. In
Japan, use of modular techniques has
NUCLEUS
> SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 17
demonstrated that the total construction
time can be reduced to about four years
for new plants (see 2001 DOE report en-
titled “A Roadmap to Deploy New Nuclear
Power Plants in the United States by 2010,
Volume II”), compared to a typical dura-
tion of five to six years. A four-year con-
struction duration is also the target for
the upcoming new generation of nuclear
plants in the U.S.
Westinghouse Electric Corp. (WEC)
has incorporated SC modules for walls
and floors of its AP1000 plant internal
structures, and was the first to incor-
porate them in a certified design (see
WEC’s design certification document,
DCD, for AP1000 standard plant).
A typical wall module panel for the
AP1000 plant containment internal
structures is shown in Figure 3. Figure
4 shows a pre-assembled internal struc-
ture SC module. WEC also extended
the use of SC modules to the AP1000
shield building to make it resilient
against aircraft impact, which is a stipu-
lated beyond-design-basis (BDB) event
for new nuclear power plants.
9/24/15 2:22 PM
 CONTINUED NUCLEUS
NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL > SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 18

Figure 2 Figure 3 development is GENERAL BENEFITS AND UNIQUE

expected to pro- CONSIDERATIONS FOR SC CONSTRUCTION
Work Rebar Form work Placing Form work Face Plate (TYP)
Structure arrangement (assembling) concrete (removal) vide additional There are many obvious benefits of SC
Wooden form C6
L 4x3 impetus for in- construction related to cost and sched-
Headed creased usage of ule reduction. The following advantages
RC Studs
SC construction are generic to all types of modular SC
in nuclear pow- construction:
28 days 13 days 7 days 4 days 4 days er plants. ASCE • Steel faceplates, acting as forms, en-
nuclear standards able prefabrication of large, ready-
Steel plate
committee is in for-placement modules.
SC the process of en- • Elimination of rebar and formwork
dorsing the use of minimizes field labor and reduces
SC structures for schedule duration.
(welding) DOE nuclear fa- • Increased shielding capability en-
14 days 10 days 4 days
cilities, which is ables up to 10 percent reduction in
expected to fur- wall thickness, reducing some con-
Illustration of Construction Activities for RC Wall and SC Wall (from MPR-2610, a report Typical Structural Wall Module in AP1000 Plant (from ther expand the SC crete quantity.
to DOE) AP1000 DCD)
usage. • Quality of placed concrete is general-
Construction of several AP1000 exploring use of SC construction. SC Outside of nuclear facilities, SC walls ly superior, as there are no problems
units is currently underway in the US design standards are in place in Japan are being used in commercial buildings as associated with rebar congestion and
and China. Korea Hydro and Nuclear and South Korea. The Europeans have wall piers for seismic resistance and ease there are no issues associated with
Power (KHNP) is incorporating some recently begun developing their own SC of construction. In the UK, they are also moisture loss due to evaporation.
SC construction in its APR+ standard research and codification program. The being used for defense/secured facilities to • Concrete presence between steel
plant. MHI is doing the same for its US standard will be issued by American improve structures’ blast and impact re- plates ensures very good fire resis-
APWR standard plant. Among SMRs, Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) sistance, an application that is being con- tance.
mPower and NuScale are currently during fourth quarter 2015. This sidered in the US as well. • Penetrations can be handled easily

1509NPI_18 18 9/24/15 2:22 PM

 CONTINUED
during initial construction; minor pen-
etrations can be handled relatively eas-
ily during service life.
• Major attachments (e.g., for large bore
pipe supports) can be easily incorpo-
rated during initial construction.
• Minor/moderate attachments to
faceplates can be easily handled
during service life (e.g., for small
pipe and conduit supports) since the
faceplates serve similar function as
embed plates (unlike SC construc-
tion, they have to be specifically
provisioned in RC construction).
• High in-plane membrane (axial and
shear) strength and ductility are
achieved.
• Improved resistance to out-of-plane
(bending and shear) loads.
• No curing is needed for SC wall con-
struction since the faceplates prevent
loss of moisture.
• Faceplates provide leaktightness,
which protects concrete during ser-
vice life (liner plates are already
needed for applications where a wall
is in contact with water on one or
1509NPI_19 19
both faces; SC walls leverage these
liner plates by making them struc-
tural steel reinforcement and leak-
age barriers for the walls).
There are several considerations that
are unique to SC construction. They are
discussed below.
Degree of Modularization and Mod-
ule Fabrication Process: The full promise
of SC construction is better realized if
large modules are used. Prefabrication
of large modules is ideally accomplished
at a shipyard facility in preparation for
module delivery by barge to the con-
struction site. Even if access to existing
shipyards is available, delivery by barge
can difficult because many candidate
sites do not have barge access. In such
cases, an onsite fabrication shop could be
set up to further assemble truckable SC
panels into larger modules.
Module Design for Construction Loads:
It is important that the modules be de-
signed for anticipated handling and rig-
ging loads. Empty modules have lower
strength and stiffness; therefore, ade-
quate strength and stiffness need to be
NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL
designed into the system by considering/
stipulating the anticipated handling/rig-
ging loads. Since large modules are very
heavy and have complex geometries,
large crane capacity and specialized rig-
ging supervision is needed at the site to
ensure safe handling.
Concrete Placement: Free-fall place-
ment method works well for placing
normal concrete between the faceplates.
However, self-consolidating concrete
(SCC) may need to be used for concrete
placement in congested areas, such as in
wall-to-floor and wall-to-basemat joint.
The rate of concrete placement, which
affects the magnitude of wet concrete
pressure, is another parameter that must
be controlled (as in any other formwork
design). Typically, the steel faceplates are
designed for 10 psi pressure when act-
ing as forms. Excessive pressure not only
causes high stresses in the plates, but can
also lead to excessive permanent defor-
mation (bulging) that can be undesir-
able from both aesthetic and functional
standpoints (e.g., for making baseplate
attachments). A pour rate of 6 to 8 feet
NUCLEUS
> SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 19
per hour will typically ensure that a 10
psi pressure limit will not be exceeded
unless the concrete is a very slow-setting
type and/or placement temperatures are
low. Increased pour rate and/or design
for slower setting concrete mixes (e.g.,
due to cement substitutes such as fly
ash) can be accommodated by having
closer spacing of tie bars in the modules.
Concrete drop height is another
consideration. The quickest method of
concrete placement for modular wall
construction is use of a simple drop
technique that also ensures good con-
solidation. A drop height of 10 to 20 feet
is recommended. Specially located pour
ports are needed if the module height
exceeds 20 feet. Smaller aggregate size,
made from hard rock, is preferable to
ensure good placement using the drop
technique. Specialized placement tech-
niques may be used in potentially con-
gested areas, such as wall-to-floor and
wall-to-basemat joint locations.
Fabrication/Welding/Field Fit-up: Mod-
ules are formed by splicing adjoining SC
panels made from plates that may be
9/24/15 2:22 PM
 CONTINUED
about 8-10 ft wide and 40-60 ft long.
Module fabrication is generally accom-
plished in a shop. Various modules are
then installed in the field and connected
with each other, or with other structural
elements such as basemat, using special
connection methods. The field erection
and connection require dealing with fit-
up and tolerances, similar to tank and
vessel construction. The fit-up issues
can be minimized using good weld-
ing practices (even minimizing welding
where possible) and through smarter de-
sign of connections.
RETHINKING SC CONSTRUCTION IN
TERMS OF IMPROVED SUSTAINABILITY
AND RESILIENCY
SC construction has certain natural ben-
efits related to resiliency and sustainabil-
ity. As discussed below, some of these
benefits can be further realized with ad-
ditional design features and construction
planning.
The following considerations apply
for improved resiliency of SC structures:
• Resiliency for Missile and Blast Loads:
1509NPI_20 20
A 2004 report by the U.S. Depart-
ment of Energy ... conservatively
estimates that use of SC modules
in place of conventional reinforced
concrete can reduce total construc-
tion time by at least several months.
The presence of faceplates naturally
leads to increased missile and blast
resistance. These attributes can
be enhanced with better design of
faceplate tying system in terms of
strength, spacing, and ease of fabri-
cation of tie-bars.
• Resiliency for External Hazard Loads:
SC construction generally results in
increased strength and ductility (for
comparable amount of rebar/steel
density per unit volume of concrete).
This naturally leads to higher margins
against design basis external hazard
loads (e.g., seismic, high wind). This
benefit can be best realized if full
strength connections are used to join
SC elements with other connected
members (e.g., basemat) and if the
steel ratio (i.e., combined thickness
NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL
of steel faceplates divided by the total
thickness of SC wall) is kept between
2 percent to 4 percent.
• Resiliency for Accident Thermal Loads:
The accident thermal load, resulting
from a loss-of-coolant or mains steam
break event, leads to exposure to el-
evated temperature for sustained du-
ration. This loading poses some more
challenge to SC members since the
faceplate is immediately exposed to
the elevated temperature, i.e., there
is no concrete cover. A seismic event
could occur during such extended
exposure, which is a BDB consider-
ation. Performance against these sce-
narios can be improved by using full
strength connections, steel or fiber
reinforced concrete, or fire-resistant
steel plates.
• Durability and Long Service Life: The
faceplates provide leaktight protec-
tion for concrete. However, just
like any steel structure, the exposed
steel surfaces need to be protect-
ed from corrosion. The protection
scheme will depend on the service
NUCLEUS
> SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 20
environment (e.g., interior v/s exte-
rior walls and underground walls).
• Resiliency against Exposure to Fire:
The faceplate that gets exposed to
fire loses strength and stiffness; how-
ever, similar to RC construction, the
bulk of concrete and the opposite
faceplate maintain good strength
and stiffness. As such, SC structures
have better fire resistance than pure
steel structures; however, the fire re-
sistance can be enhanced if suitable
fire protection coating is applied to
the faceplate(s) or fire-resistant steel
is used. The member’s strength and
stiffness during fire exposure can
also be improved by embedding an-
other steel plate within the concrete,
i.e., between the faceplates.
The following considerations apply
for improved sustainability of SC struc-
tures:
• Field Labor Force Reduction: SC con-
struction requires smaller field labor
force compared to conventional SC
construction because of elimination
of activities related to formwork,
9/24/15 2:22 PM
 CONTINUED
rebar election, and curing. As in any
modular construction, the degree of
field labor reduction depends on the
extent of modularization and the size
of modules. Use of automated weld-
ing techniques, field bolting can help
further in this regard. With maxi-
mization of field labor reduction,
there is a commensurate reduction
in the carbon footprint associated
with mobilization, demobilization,
and daily life of field labor force, etc.
• Reduction of Water Usage: SC con-
struction does not have rebar con-
gestion issues such that the amount
of water used in concrete mix design
can be reduced without sacrificing
placement quality issues. Also, be-
cause no curing is required, the as-
sociated water usage is eliminated.
• Use of Green Concrete or Cement
Substitutes: Cement is an energy-
intensive ingredient of concrete.
Green concrete mixes, involving
replacement of cementitious mate-
rials or naturally occurring cement
1509NPI_21 21
substitutes like fly ash, pozzolans,
or slag is always desirable from sus-
tainability standpoint. The slow
setting pace of cement substitutes
can be easily handled in SC design
by ensuring that the faceplates are
adequately designed as formwork
(the slow setting pace can be prob-
lematic in conventional RC con-
struction in that the form stripping
and subsequent placement activi-
ties have to be delayed until the
concrete gains sufficient strength).
• Prolonged Service Life: SC struc-
tures will have long service life pro-
vided that potential for steel plate
corrosion is addressed. Depend-
ing on the application (e.g., under-
ground wall or just exterior wall
exposed to atmosphere or walls
exposed to water), certain types of
stainless steel can be used advan-
tageously. Compared to surface
treatment options (e.g., cathodic
protection or surface coatings), the
stainless option may be most cost
NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL
Figure 4
Example of Large Pre-Assembled Module in AP1000
Plant (from AP1000 DCD)
efficient in the long run.
• Surface Decontamination:
The ability to decontaminate the
exposed surfaces and the effort
required to do so is an important
consideration in any nuclear facil-
ity. The presence of faceplates
lends for easy decontamination
NUCLEUS
> SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 21
process during service life and
after decommissioning. Faceplate
surface treatment and material
selection can be especially based
on ease of decontamination. This
is a sustainability consideration
in terms of controlling potential
spread of radioactive materials.
• Potential for Recycling: Unlike rebar
in RC construction, the steel face-
plates can be more easily removed
and recycled. Also, the concrete
can be pulverized and used in rub-
blized pavement construction.
• Reduced Energy Use during Construc-
tion: SC construction has reduced
need for concrete compaction (con-
solidation using vibrators) since the
free fall placement method gener-
ally leads to well-consolidated con-
crete. Also options for field bolting
can be maximized to reduce energy
consumption during construction.
• Material Savings in Steel and Con-
crete Quantity: Owing to their
higher strength and radiation shield
9/24/15 2:22 PM
 CONTINUED NUCLEUS
NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL > SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 22

capability, SC member design can
be optimized to produce reduced
amount of steel and concrete com-
pared to comparable RC member.
This aspect has to be exploited dur-
ing the design phase, which is often
not done in SC design. The quanti-
ty reductions have obvious sustain-
ability implications.
• Elimination of Water-Stops and Rebar
Accessories: Unlike conventional RC
construction, SC construction has
no need for water-stops (because of
its inherent leaktightness) and ac-
cessories such as rebar chairs. This
results in reduction of the rubber
and plastic based materials, which
is good in terms of sustainability.
• Increased Potential for Modular At-
tachment of Supported Commodi-
ties: The SC modules can be de-
signed to further enhance the ability
to support/attach piping/equipment
the field (aside from the resulting
schedule contraction).
• Use/Reinvigoration of Nation’s Ship-
yard and Fabrication Facilities: Fabri-
cation of SC modules could be per-
formed at a shipyard facility or at a
steel fabricator shop experienced
in nuclear related steel fabrication.
This will be a boost for idled or un-
der-utilized fabrication facilities, and
will provide new job opportunities.
CONCLUSION
Resiliency and sustainability are highly
desired features for future nuclear pow-
er plant structures. There are a few con-
struction options to incorporate these
considerations. The SC construction
option provides certain inherent benefits
related to schedule and material savings,
and provides strong promise for many
attributes related to resiliency and sus-
tainability. The resiliency and sustain-
LARGE SCALE
RENEWABLES TRACK UTILITY INTEGRATION TRACK
Covers baseload and multi- Covers permitting, regulation,
megawatt-scale renewable energy interconnection and other grid
projects, policies and applications impacts of renewable energy
DISTRIBUTED ENERGY RENEWABLES IN THE
RESOURCES (DER) TRACK DEVELOPING WORLD TRACK
Covers smaller commercial and Examines how renewable energy
behind-the-meter renewable is uniquely positioned to bring
energy applications, technologies electricity to the millions of
and policies people worldwide who suffer
from energy poverty
HYBRID SOLUTIONS TRACK
Looks at how different energy generation technologies
work together with a major focus on energy storage
Renewable Energy World Conference & Exhibition North America 2015
December 8-10, 2015 / Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada
www.renewableenergyworld-events.com
Owned & Produced by: Presented by: Supported by: Media Sponsor:

modules, structural modules (e.g., ability benefits of SC construction can

for floors/platforms). This can lead be maximized by implementing a well
to further reduction in the associ- thought out design and construction ap-
ated labor forces and energy use in proach.

1509NPI_22 22 9/24/15 2:22 PM

 NUCLEUS
NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL > SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 23

POWER-GEN International 2015: This year, POWER-GEN

will come to Las Vegas with The lineup for the keynote

Transition and Transformation four co-located events: Nu-

clear Power International;
COAL-GEN 2015; Renew-
BY RUSSELL RAY, CHAIRMAN, POWER-GEN INTERNATIONAL
able Energy World North
session on Dec. 8 features
five high-ranking executives
from companies involved in the
power generation industry, inl-
cuding Dynegy, SCE, and Black
& Veatch.

America; and the GenFo-

rum. We’re calling it Power
Steve Berberich
Generation Week, which

I
t’s the largest annual forum for the power generation industry. features five conferences
More than 21,000 industry professionals from around the world will gather and four exhibitions under
in Orlando for POWER-GEN International 2015, where innovative and cost- one roof. All together, more
effective solutions for maintaining, operating and building new power generation will than 300 speakers will be
be shared Dec. 8-10 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. featured in nearly 80 confer-
More than 1,400 exhibiting companies from every sector of the industry will be ence sessions during Power
showcasing their products and services on the exhibit floor. The exhibition opens at Generation Week.
11:30 a.m. Tuesday following the keynote session. At POWER-GEN, 33
Steven Edwards Stuart Hemphill
POWER-GEN International offers a wealth of networking opportunities with conference sessions will be
leading professionals and key decision makers. More than 200 speakers will share their held under seven tracks:
thoughts on trends, technology and project development in 43 conference sessions. A Emissions Control; On-Site
wide range of topics, from emissions control to gas turbine design, will be discussed Power; Plant Performance;
by high-ranking regulators, developers, power producers and industry representatives. Gas Turbine Technologies;
The keynote session on Dec. 8 will feature five high-ranking executives: Steven L. Microgrids, Storage & Vir-
Edwards, chairman, president and CEO, Black & Veatch; Robert Flexon, president and tual Power Plants; Industry
CEO, Dynegy; Steve Berberich, president and CEO, California ISO; Stuart R. Hemp- Trends/Competitive Power
hill, senior vice president, Power Supply and Operational Services, Southern California Generation; and Power Proj-
Edison; and Victor Abate, president and CEO, Power Generation, GE Power & Water. ect Financing. Robert Flexon Victor Abate

1509NPI_23 23 9/24/15 2:22 PM

 CONTINUED
More than 1,400 exhibiting companies from every sector of the power generation industry will be showcasing their products
and services on the exhibit floor at POWER-GEN International 2015, the world’s largest annual forum for the power sector.
Here’s a sample of some of the ses-
sions that will be offered: “Small and
Medium Gas Turbines,” “CHP Trends
in North America,” “New Combined
Cycle Power Plants,” “HRSGs: Design,
Maintenance & Monitoring Best Prac-
tices,” “Asset Management,” “Steam
Turbine Performance and Reliability
improvement & Generator Inspection,”
“Successfully Financing Power Projects
in the Developing World,” “Options to
Maximize the Value of Existing Coal
1509NPI_24 24
Plants,” “CCR/ELG Regs: Walking the
Tightrope,” and “Utilities’ Perspective
on Energy Storage.”
Six mega-sessions are also scheduled.
“The Threat from Solar,” “Clean Power
Plan: Did We Get What We Expected,”
“Large Frame Gas Turbines,” “Is Gam-
bling with the World’s Energy Resourc-
es Leading to a Potential Crisis?” “New
Business Model for Grid-Scale Storage,”
and “Bettering the Nuclear Fleet with
Modern Technology.”
NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL
THREE TECHNICAL TOURS
Technical tours of three power genera-
tion facilities will be offered to attendees
on Monday, Dec. 7.
Ivanpah
NRG Energy, Google, BrightSource En-
ergy and other investors have built one
of the largest solar thermal projects in
the world.
In the Mojave Desert, the Ivanpah
Solar Electric Generating System has a
solar capacity of almost 400 MW and
generates nearly double the amount of
commercial solar thermal energy now
generated in the U.S. Because of this,
Renewable Energy World magazine
crowned it the Renewable Energy Proj-
ect of the Year in 2014.
The project, comprised of three sepa-
rate plants, was completed in early 2014.
Electricity from Ivanpah is now sold un-
der multiple power-purchase agreements,
each of 25-30 years duration with South-
ern California Edison and Pacific Gas &
Electric Co. The electricity generated by all
NUCLEUS
> SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 24
three plants is enough to support 140,000
homes, and more than twice that number
when operating at maximum capacity dur-
ing the peak hours of the day.
Chuck Lenzie
Thirty miles north of Las Vegas, Nevada,
the Chuck Lenzie Generating Station’s
peak generating capacity is 1,102 MW.
It is a clean-burning natural gas-fueled
power plant in Southern Nevada, north
of Las Vegas. The plant utilizes two side-
by-side power production “blocks.” Both
groups use two highly efficient Gener-
al Electric 7FA combustion turbines to
produce electricity. Additionally, the ex-
haust from the four turbines is recycled
to produce steam for two General Elec-
tric D-11 steam turbines to make addi-
tional electricity.
The plant went into service in 2006.
Unlike conventional power plants that
use substantial amounts of water for
cooling, the station uses a six-story-
high dry cooling system. Similar to a
car radiator, 100 massive fans (32 feet
9/24/15 2:22 PM
 CONTINUED
in diameter) are used to condense the
steam back into water to be reused in
the plant. The Chuck Lenzie Generat-
ing Station is part of a 2,250-megawatt
three-plant complex, which includes the
Harry Allen and Silverhawk Generating
Stations.
The plant can produce enough elec-
tricity to serve approximately 665,000
Nevada households. The dry-cooling
system enables the combined-cycle plant
to make the same amount of electricity
with a mere 7 percent of water used by
conventional water-cooled facilities. The
facility uses a wastewater treatment sys-
tem that recaptures and recycles about
75 percent of the water used in the pow-
er production process.
Hoover Dam
Just a short drive from the glitter and
glamour of Las Vegas, the Hoover Dam
is a testimony to America’s ability to
construct monolithic projects in the
midst of adverse conditions. Built during
the Great Depression between 1931 and
1509NPI_25 25
1935, thousands of men and their fami-
lies came to Black Canyon to tame the
Colorado River. It took less than 5 years
to build the largest dam of its time.
Now, 70 years later, Hoover Dam
still stands as a world-renowned struc-
ture. Hoover Dam is a National Historic
Landmark and has been called one of
the Seven Engineering Wonders of the
Modern World. This engineering project
not only enabled the industrial develop-
ment of the Pacific Southwest, but it also
forms Lake Mead, the largest man-made
reservoir in the Western Hemisphere.
Before your guided tour of Hoover
Dam, you will have a short presentation
on how the west was won with water and
give you some background history on
the building of the magnificent Hoover
Dam. Next, your guide will take you
over 500’ down one of our enormous el-
evators to the Nevada wing of the power
plant, where you overlook the massive
7-story tall generators.
From there you will go on your own
out to the Observation Deck on top of
NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL
the Tour Center, where you can view
the river flow, the lake and the massive
expanse of the Hoover Dam.
PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS
Attendees of POWER-GEN and Renew-
able Energy World North America can
also choose from 31 Competitive Power
College pre-conference workshops on
Sunday Dec. 7 and Monday Dec. 9.
Some of the workshop topics include
“Effective Project management for the
Power Project Professional,” “Outage
Management Processes, Skills and Tools
Improvement Workshop,” Distributed
Generation: Wining the Interconnec-
tion,” “Project Risk management in Pow-
er Construction,” “Quantitative Risk
Analysis in Power Construction,” and
“How to Develop a Viable 316(b) Phase
II Compliance Approach.”
WIN A CORVETTE
A car will again be given away this year.
The drawing for a 2016 Corvette will
be Thursday, Dec. 10. Entering is easy.
NUCLEUS
> SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 25
Eligible attendees must take their en-
try card to the booths of the sponsoring
companies, have it stamped by the spon-
soring exhibitors and return the card to
the PennWell booth prior to the drawing.
As always, you must be present to win.
GOLF
Also, a golf tournament will be held
Monday, Dec. 7, at the Desert Pines
Golf Club.
Desert Pines Las Vegas was named a
best upscale golf course in “Golf Digest
Top 50 Resort Course.” Desert Pines also
was host to the Golf Channel’s Big Break
II. From championship tees to three sets of
tee areas, Desert Pines Las Vegas offers a 71
par course spread over 6,810 yards that is
the perfect balance between challenge and
fun. The generous mounding separates the
fairways which can result in lucky breaks
from those errant shots and keep the game
amusing and fun for all skill levels.
For complete conference, exhibition
and registration information, visit www.
powergenerationweek.com.
9/24/15 2:22 PM

NRC Issues White Finding
for Entergy Nuclear Power
Plant in Louisiana
Sept. 11
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
(NRC) issued a white finding to the River
Bend nuclear power plant in Louisiana.
River Bend was operating at 85 percent
capacity on Christmas 2014 when the plant
automatically shut down. After the shut-
down, there were issues with the plant’s
feedwater system, and several electrical cir-
cuit breakers also failed to operate proper-
ly. Operators took compensatory actions to
1509NPI_26 26
NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL
ensure the plant would remain in safe shut-
down.
NRC said Entergy officials failed to ensure
that a control room simulator used to train
reactor operators was capable of reproducing
all of the challenges the operators might en-
counter during a specific unplanned reactor
shutdown scenario, an NRC official said in a
statement. As a result, operators took actions
that complicated the plant’s response.
NRC conducted a special inspection to
better understand the circumstances sur-
rounding the event and review corrective ac-
tions. NRC determined the finding as a white,
or one of low to moderate safety significance.
Officials with plant operator Entergy (NYSE:
ETR) agreed with the finding.
“The identified issues have been corrected
to ensure that conditions in the simulator ac-
curately reflect conditions in the plant, and
River Bend Station remains safe and secure,”
Entergy said in a statement. “Entergy did not
request a regulatory conference and will not
contest the finding. This will not impact the
plant’s regulatory status in relation to the
NRC’s Action Matrix.”
NEWS
> SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 26
GNF Nuclear Reactor Fuel
Innovation Approved by NRC
Sept. 11
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
approved Global Nuclear Fuel’s (GNF) lat-
est innovation for boiling water nuclear reac-
tors (BWR). GNF is a joint venture with GE
(NYSE: GE), Hitachi Ltd. (NYSE: HIT) and
Toshiba Corp.
NSF channels are designed to reduce
channel bow and control rod blade inter-
ference, which reduces the need for opera-
tional testing. It was built with a propri-
etary combination of zirconium, niobium,
tin and iron to be resistant to fluence gra-
dient bow and shadow corrosion induced
bow.
NSF channels were first made available in
lead use assemblies in 2002. Since then, more
than 300 NSF channels have been loaded into
BWR plants. The channel material is available
in reload quantities starting with outages in
spring 2016. NSF will be standard on GNF3
bundles, which are slated for full reloads in
2018.
9/24/15 2:22 PM
 CONTINUED
EPRI Qualifies Areva
Nuclear
Sept. 10
Inspection Tools
The U.S. Electric Power Research In-
stitute (EPRI) qualified three of Areva’s
automated inspection tools for examin-
ing nuclear steam generators.
Areva’s AIDA3, MIRA3, and WTT
tools have all received EPRI’s Automat-
ed Analysis Performance Demonstration
Database (AAPDD) qualification and
are now available to the U.S. nuclear en-
ergy market.
The tools are designed to mimic hu-
man data analysis at accelerated com-
puter speeds, which provides repeat-
ability and reliability in nuclear steam
generator eddy current non-destructive
examination.
Exelon Defers Retirements
of 2 Illinois Nuclear Plants
Sept. 10
Exelon Corp. (NYSE: EXC) said it
plans to run the Quad Cities nuclear
1509NPI_27 27
power plant through May 2018 and the
Byron nuclear plant through May 2019.
The utility said all of its nuclear plants
in the PJM market cleared the transition
capacity auction for the 2017-18 plan-
ning year, and that it will defer any de-
cisions about future operations of Quad
Cities and Byron, which the companies
considers economically challenged. The
auction results take effect in June 2017.
The decision to defer the retirements
comes after analysis of the present and
future economics of the plants, taking
into consideration the constructive mar-
ket trends from the PJM capacity auc-
tion reforms.
All of the nuclear plants have also
cleared the transition capacity auction
for the 2016-17 planning year, but Quad
Cities, Oyster Creek and Three Mile Is-
land nuclear plants did not clear the ca-
pacity auction for the 2018-19 planning
year.
“The new market reforms help to
recognize the unique value of always-
on nuclear power, while preserving the
NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL
reliability of our electric system,” said
Chris Crane, Exelon president and CEO.
“However, these plants are long-lived as-
sets with decades of useful life left, and
today’s decision is only a short-term re-
prieve. Policy reforms are still needed
to level the playing field for all forms of
clean energy and best position the state
of Illinois to meet EPA’s new carbon re-
duction rules.”
Exelon said it plans to bid all of its
eligible nuclear plants into the 2019-20
PJM capacity auction held next year.
PJM holds a capacity auction each year
to ensure enough power generating re-
sources are available to meet demand in
the region that covers 13 states and the
District of Columbia.
The Nuclear Energy Institue (NEI)
said in a release that, although the deci-
sion is temporary, it is a good step for the
state.
“Although only a temporary reprieve,
Exelon’s decision is an enormous win for
the state of Illinois. The Quad Cities and
Byron nuclear stations employ almost
NEWS
> SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 27
1,800 people directly, and are respon-
sible for an additional 7,500 indirect
jobs in the state,” said Richard Myers,
NEI’s Vice President for Policy Develop-
ment and Planning. “The two facilities
produce $3.1 billion a year in total eco-
nomic value for the state, according to
an economic analysis conducted by NEI.
In addition to this immense economic
value, these nuclear energy facilities are
essential if Illinois hopes to reduce its
carbon emissions. Quad Cities and By-
ron produce 34.6 billion kilowatt-hours
of carbon-free electricity every year—
more than three times the state’s entire
production from renewable energy.”
Former Nuclear Plant Site
to Host Solar Power Plant
Sept. 10
A 10.88-MW solar power array is
planned on the site of a former nuclear
power plant in California.
The Sacramento Municipal Util-
ity District (SMUD) approved
9/24/15 2:22 PM
 CONTINUED
construction on the Rancho Seco solar
photovoltaic project and a power pur-
chase agreement to be built on the site
of the Rancho Seco nuclear plant.
First Solar will own the project when
it is completed.
The output will be provided to
SMUD’s SolarShares program. The pro-
gram allows SMUD business customers
the benefits of solar energy when install-
ing solar panels is not feasible.
The new project also helps SMUD meet
its renewable portfolio standard goals of 33
percent renewable power by 2020. Con-
struction is expected to begin near the end
of 2015 and be completed by third quarter
2016.
Rancho Seco hosted a 3.2-MW
solar array when it was built in 1984
adjacent to the nuclear plant. Five of
the six arrays were decommissioned in
2013 when the technology reached its
end of life. The Rancho Seco nuclear
plant began operations in September
1975 and was decommissioned in June
1989.
1509NPI_28 28
E.ON Will Not Spin Off
Nuclear Power Plants
Sept. 10
German utility E.ON will not spin
off its nuclear power plants in the coun-
try and will now shoulder the 16.6 bil-
lion euros ($18.6 billion) needed to de-
commission them by 2022.
The company had planned to spin
off its power plants, energy trading and
oil and gas activities into a separate unit
named Uniper, scheduled to begin oper-
ations at the start of 2016. E.ON said in
a release that, going forward, the will fo-
cus on renewables, energy networks, and
customer solutions and does not consid-
er its nuclear plants a business asset.
E.ON currently operates three nucle-
ar power plants in Germany and owns
minority stakes in three others. Preuss-
enElektra will manage the nuclear power
business, but will not be integrated into
E.ON’s management structure.
“This decision will enable us to
implement our corporate strategy and
NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL
complete the spinoff process on sched-
ule,” said E.ON CEO Johannes Teyssen.
“It will create food prospects for our em-
ployees and establish a new, value-ori-
ented organization for our shareholders.”
The German government is phas-
ing out all nuclear power in the country
by 2022 following the 2011 Fukushima
Daiichi nuclear accident in Japan.
France Vows To Close Oldest
Nuclear Plant by 2018
Sept. 9
PARIS (AP) - The French government
says it will close the nation’s oldest nuclear
NEWS
> SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 28
plant no later than 2018 as part of a plan
to reduce dependency on nuclear power.
Government spokesman Stephane Le
Foll said Wednesday the government will
issue a decree that will start process of
closing the nuclear plant of Fessenheim,
in east of France, at the beginning of 2016.
At that point, Le Foll says “the process will
be irreversible.”
Close to Germany’s border, Fessen-
heim has become a symbol for anti-nu-
clear campaigners who say it is unsafe.
France passed a law in July to reduce
the share of nuclear power to 50 percent
by 2025 from the current 75 percent,
which is greater than in any other nation.
9/24/15 2:22 PM
 CONTINUED
Westinghouse-Led Group to
Dismantle Nuclear Reactor
Pressure Vessel
Sept. 8
Westinghouse Electric Co. was con-
tracted to dismantle the reactor pressure
vessel and its internals at a nuclear power
reactor in Germany.
Westinghouse will plan, manufacture
equipment and on-site segmentation of
the reactor vessel internals and the re-
actor vessel at Unit 1 of the Phillipps-
burg Nuclear Power Plant. The plant,
operated by EnBW Kernkraft GmbH,
was commercially shut down in 2011.
Westinghouse has already cut more than
1,000 linear feet (300 linear meters) of
highly activated components totaling
more than 60 tons of processed material.
A consortium lead by Westinghouse
Electric Germany GmbH will include
NUKEM Technologies Engineering Ser-
vices GmbH (NTES) and GNS Gesell-
schaft für Nuklear-Service mbH.
The Ministry of the Environment,
1509NPI_29 29
Climate and Energy of Baden-Württem-
berg must grant the decommissioning
license before work begins.
EDF: Hinkley Point C Plant
Start Date Delayed
Sept. 4
France-owned EDF Energy says that
the Hinkley Point C nuclear power proj-
ect will not begin in 2023 as planned.
The power company said it would
revise the construction timeline once it
finalizes investments, according to the
BBC. EDF planned for two Chinese
companies to invest in the project, but
costs have increased amid delays and in-
vestigations into an incentive scheme to
finance the project.
Construction work at the site stopped
in August after regulators say contractor
Nuclear New Build GenCo informed
them that they were halting work and
that the site entered a state of Care and
Maintenance in July. The UK Office for
Nuclear Regulation said it ended safety
NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL
inspections at the site but will continue
regulatory services until the project is
ready to remobilize.
EDF plans to install two European
Pressurized Reactors at Hinkley Point,
but the delivery date of the reactors has
been pushed back until late 2018, the ar-
ticle said.
Most U.S. Nuclear Power
Plants Operating at Highest
Level, NRC says
Sept. 3
A majority of U.S. nuclear power
plants are operating at the highest per-
formance levels in the latest mid-cycle
assessments from the U.S. Nuclear Reg-
ulatory Commission (NRC).
Out of 99 operating commercial re-
actors in the first half of 2015, 75 fully
met all safety and security performance
objectives and were inspected using the
NRC’s baseline inspection program. An
additional 21 reactors were assessed as
needing to resolve one or two items of
NEWS
> SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 29
low safety significance with regulatory
oversight that includes additional inspec-
tion and follow-up of corrective actions.
These plants are: Clinton; Comanche
Peak 1 and 2; Davis-Besse; Diablo Can-
yon 1 and 2; Dresden 2 and 3; Duane
Arnold; Fitzpatrick; Millstone 3; Mon-
ticello; Oyster Creek; Palisades; River
Bend; St. Lucie 1; Salem 1; Susquehanna
1 and 2; and Vogtle 1 and 2. Since the
reporting period ended, Davis-Besse and
St. Lucie 1 have resolved their issues and
transitioned to the highest performing
level.
There were no reactors in the third
performance category, but Arkansas
Nuclear One 1 and 2 and the Pilgrim
power plant were in the fourth perfor-
mance category. ANO 1 and 2 were in
the category because of two safety find-
ings of substantial significance for a fatal
accident and two flood protection viola-
tions. Pilgrim was placed in this category
because of long-standing performance
issues of low-to-moderate safety signifi-
cance.
9/24/15 2:22 PM
 CONTINUED
Each nuclear power plant receives ei-
ther a mid-cycle assessment or annual
assessment letter along with an NRC in-
spection plan. The reactors under con-
struction at Summer, Vogtle and Watts
Bar receive annual oversights.
SCE&G Updates Costs,
Construction Schedule for
Nuclear New Builds
Sept. 3
The two reactors under construction
at the V.C. Summer nuclear power plant
in South Carolina are now approved for
completion in 2019 and 2020, according
to updated filings with the state Public
Service Commission (PSC).
Commissioners approved the con-
struction schedule for units 2 and 3 to be
completed in June 2019 and June 2020
based upon information from Westing-
house Electric Co. and Chicago Bridge &
Iron (CB&I, NYSE: CBI). The approved
capital cost schedule includes incremen-
tal capital costs that total $698 million
1509NPI_30 30
in 2007 dollars, of which $539 million is
allotted for delays and other costs. Total
project capital cost is now estimated at
$5.2 billion in 2007 dollars, which is the
portion to be covered by utility South
Carolina Electric & Gas.
The two Westinghouse AP1000 re-
actors currently under construction have
faced delays and cost overruns similar
to what is seen at Plant Vogtle in Geor-
gia, where Westinghouse and CB&I are
building two additional AP1000 reac-
tors.
Dungeness B Nuclear
Reactor Online After
Planned Outage
Sept. 3
The Dungeness B nuclear Unit 22 is
back online following a 16-week planned
maintenance outage.
Work included removing and in-
specting the turbines, inspecting graph-
ite within the core of the reactor and
maintaining equipment that is usually
NUCLEAR POWER INTERNATIONAL
used all day. Two unit transformers were
replaced as part of the 10-year life ex-
tension that will allow Dungeness B to
operate until 2028.
Each of the two units at Dungeness
B is shut down every three years for a
statutory outage. EDF Energy has spent
more than £30 million ($457 million)
on the maintenance program.
Eletrobras Suspends
Nuclear Construction
Contract Amid Corruption
Probe
Sept. 3
Eletrobras said it would suspend a con-
tract with a consortium that is building
NEWS
> SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 30
the 1,405-MW third reactor at its Angra
nuclear power plant while the company
faces a corruption investigation.
The stated-owned utility announced
it would suspend the contract for 60
days. Construction firms Andrade Guti-
errez and Techint Engenharia asked Ele-
trobras for permission to pull out of the
Angramon consortium that is building
Angra 3 near Rio de Janeiro, according
to Reuters. Two other companies, Ode-
brecht SA and Queiroz Galvão Engen-
haria, informed Eletrobras of their wish
to pull out of the consortium earlier this
morning. Angramon was responsible for
the electromechanical construction at
the delayed project, the article said.
Former Eletrobras CEO Othon Luiz
Pinheiro da Silva was charged with cor-
ruption and money laundering. Prosecu-
tors claim he pocketed 4.5 million reals
($1.35 million) in bribes from engineer-
ing firms working on Angra 3. He has
been on leave since April. Other officials
and lawmakers have been arrested or
charged in the investigation.
9/24/15 2:22 PM