Read the Nuclear Industry Spotlight - Intergraph

SmartPlant Review suite has been used extensively
to review the plant in an integrated fashion,
and also for constructability. The benefits of 3D
visualization don’t have to end with engineering
and construction of a plant. The 3D models and
data generated by visualization tools can be used
as part of training, operations and maintenance,
realizing both cost- and time-saving benefits.
The AP1000 provides a high degree of public
safety and licensing certainty. It draws upon more
than 40 years of experience in light water reactor
components and technology, so no demonstration
plant is required. While clearly advanced in its
application of passive safety features, the AP1000
is still based on the very same Westinghouse PWR
technology that has accumulated thousands of
reactor-years of successful operation internationally
since the first PWR went online in Shippingport,
Pennsylvania U.S. in 1957.
The AP1000’s predecessor, the AP600, was
designed with input from more than 30 engineering
organizations from around the world.
The AP1000 also had international collaborators.
Previously, the collaboration was performed at each
organization, and integrated into Westinghouse’s
controlling model by manual integration. Since
that time, Intergraph products have become more
capable of workshare and collaboration. They
enable Westinghouse to perform detailed design
work around the world, and the modular design
of the plants allows suppliers to work globally and
have all the pieces fit together when joined at the
plant site.
Certainly the time is right for the U.S. to renew
its focus on nuclear power generation. In fact, a
number of utilities have submitted applications
to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in
preparation for building a plant. The Energy Policy
Act of 2005 focuses on lowering the country’s
foreign and fossil fuel dependence, with many
significant incentives intended to grow the U.S.
nuclear industry.
More and more political, business and environmental
leaders are speaking out on the advantages of
nuclear power as the cleaner, cheaper, and yes,
safer power generation alternative. In an article
published April 14, 2006 in The Washington Post,
Greenpeace co-founder Patrick Moore says,
“Nuclear energy may just be the energy source that
can save our planet from another possible disaster:
catastrophic climate change.” He continues, “More
than 600 coal-fired electric plants in the United
States produce 36 percent of U.S. emissions –
or nearly 10 percent of global emissions – of CO2,
the primary greenhouse gas responsible for climate
change. Nuclear energy is the only large-scale,
cost-effective energy source that can reduce these
emissions while continuing to satisfy a growing
demand for power. And these days it can do
so safely.”
In 2001, the nuclear energy industry announced
its goal of preserving the existing percentage of
America’s emission-free electricity, while at the
same time adding new electricity generation.
Vision 2020 specifies having enough new nuclear
power plants either under order, under construction
or already built to provide 50,000 MW of
additional electricity-generating capacity to the
U.S. power grid by 2020.
Vision 2020 also calls for the addition of another
10,000 MW capacity of nuclear power by modifying
existing plants with more efficient equipment
and more accurate instrumentation so they can
produce more electricity, and by operating current
plants more efficiently so there is less time when
the reactor is not producing full power. Together
with other renewable production, these increases
will maintain the non-emitting percentage of
electricity produced in the U.S. at 30 percent,
continuing to help keep our air clean.
It’s imperative to plan for rather than react to
increases in future energy requirements. The
AP1000 has been confirmed as the technology
base for 10 combined construction and operating
license applications. Among the utility companies
considering expanding their nuclear capabilities are
South Carolina Electric & Gas (principal subsidiary of
SCANA Corporation), Duke Power, Progress Energy
and the team of Southern Company and Georgia
Power. Late last year, NuStart, the nation’s largest
consortium of nuclear power companies, selected
TVA’s Bellefonte nuclear plant site for a combined
construction and operating license (COL) application
for the AP1000.
The AP1000 is ideally suited for the worldwide
nuclear power marketplace. Not only is it the safest,
most advanced design available, but its modular
design promotes ready standardization and high
construction quality. Its 1100 MWe design is ideal
for providing baseload- generating capacity. It’s
economical to construct and maintain because it
requires less concrete and steel and fewer components
and systems. It’s designed to promote
ease of operation and features the most advanced
instrumentation and control in the industry.
In the past, the high cost and long-term build-out
schedules for nuclear power plants discouraged
many countries from focusing on this type of
power generation. Westinghouse is addressing
both of these issues with the AP600 and
AP1000. By using modular construction methods,
Westinghouse and its project partners will be
able to build the AP1000 in 36 months. This is
one-fourth to one-half the customary construction
time of the most recent U.S. nuclear plants. Using
Intergraph’s SmartPlant Review, Westinghouse
shortened the construction cycle, ensuring the
buildability of the plant as designed and using the
model as an informational tool for both technical
and non-technical audiences.
The price of fossil fuels, pending clean air regulations
and increasing concerns about dependence
on foreign oil suppliers will continue to encourage
renewed interest in nuclear power generation.
Taking into consideration that the newest technology
allows significant cost reductions in plant
construction, as well as streamlined build-out
time and licensing procedures, nuclear power is
the obvious choice for the future. Westinghouse
is proud to be at the forefront of this exciting
renaissance in nuclear power generation.
Jill Clelland is information management lead
for passive plant development at Westinghouse
Electric Co. LLC.
www.westinghousenuclear.com
Nuclear Industry
Insight
3