The Maine legislature is considering a proposal to amend state laws regarding the siting and construction of new nuclear power plants. The bill known as LD 1313, "An Act To Amend the Laws Regarding Nuclear Power Generating Facilities", is listed as a "Governor's Bill", indicating its origin from Maine Governor Paul LePage. What might LD 1313 mean for Maine?
Maine is not currently home to any operating nuclear power plants. From 1972 to 1996, the Maine Yankee Nuclear Power Plant operated a 900 megawatt reactor in Wiscasset. While it operated, Maine Yankee was the state's largest generator of electricity. But a Nuclear Regulatory Commission investigation launched in 1995 identified safety and other problems that ultimately rendered continued plant operation uneconomic; the site was decommissioned from 1997 through 2005, with spent fuel remaining on site to date.
Maine Yankee was controversial from its inception, with significant opposition to its construction from anti-nuclear groups and others. Partially in response to this controversy, in 1987 Maine enacted a law "to provide for citizen participation in any decision to construct a nuclear power plant within the State." As part of that law (as amended in 1999), the Legislature enacted a finding "that construction of a nuclear power plant is a major financial
investment, which will have consequences for consumers for years to come." The law also included a finding that, "In the recent past, investments in nuclear power plants have caused severe financial strain on consumers." In addition, the law required a statewide voter referendum prior to the construction of any nuclear power plant in Maine, and prohibited construction of a nuclear power plant without this voter approval.
Governor LePage's proposal would amend those two sections of existing law relating to the process for siting nuclear power plants. First, LD 1313 would delete the legislative finding that "In the recent past, investments in nuclear power plants have caused severe financial strain on consumers." Second, LD 1313 would limit the referendum requirement to nuclear power plants "with capacity greater than 500 megawatts."
LD 1313 would appear to encourage the construction of relatively small nuclear power plants in Maine -- that is, those with capacity of 500 megawatts or smaller, roughly half of Maine Yankee's size. But of the approximately 100 nuclear power plants in commercial operation in the U.S. today, nearly all can generate more than 500 megawatts of power. The Omaha Public Power District's Fort Calhoun plant in Nebraska is rated at 476 megawatts, and is one of the only commercial reactors in the U.S. smaller than 500 megawatts. The technical and security aspects of nuclear power have traditionally pushed utilities to develop relatively large nuclear power plants, making the development of small but traditional nuclear power in Maine relatively unlikely.
Perhaps more likely to benefit if LD 1313 is enacted would be the development of small modular nuclear reactors. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, small modular reactors offer the advantage of lower initial capital
investment, scalability, and siting flexibility at locations unable to
accommodate more traditional larger reactors. They also have the
potential for enhanced safety and security. The Department of Energy has expressed interest in advancing small modular reactor technology. If LD 1313 is enacted, it could eliminate the requirement of statewide voter approval of the construction of a nuclear power plant using small modular reactor technology.
But whether LD 1313's enactment would actually lead to the construction of small modular reactors in Maine is unclear. Is the voter referendum requirement really the chief obstacle to small modular reactor construction in Maine? Or can Maine's lack of small modular reactors be explained by other limitations -- like technology, financing, or safety regulations?
LD 1313 has been referred to the Maine State Legislature's Joint Standing Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology. To date, no public hearing has been scheduled.
Energy powers society; society's choices shape energy policy. A blog about our energy resources and the choices they present for society.
Showing posts with label Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Show all posts
Pilgrim nuclear plant down temporarily
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
The Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth, Massachusetts, was shut down temporarily yesterday due to an apparent malfunction. Media reports suggest a problem with a condenser, a piece of equipment that converts the steam produced by the plant back into water.
Nuclear power plants typically produce electricity by using fissile nuclear material to produce heat. This thermal energy vaporizes water into steam. In turn, this steam spins one or more turbines, each of which is connected to an electric generator. In this regard, nuclear power plants' reliance on steam resembles other thermal power plants such as those fired by combustion fuels like coal or biomass.
As with many other steam-based power plants, nuclear power plants often include steam condensers. A steam condenser takes the steam that is passed through the turbines and converts it back into liquid water. This enables the turbines to extract more energy from the flow of steam, and improves plant efficiency. It appears that a condenser at the Pilgrim station stopped working, leading to a shutdown of the plant.
Any time major equipment at a nuclear power plant sales or malfunctions, operators typically take it very seriously. Plant owner Entergy has reportedly said that it will not restart the plant until it figures out what went wrong.
Pilgrim Station is a relatively large generating facility, capable of producing up to 688 megawatts of power. The plant was reportedly operating at 30% of its capacity prior to yesterday's shutdown. As result, the short-term impacts on electricity markets in New England may be relatively minimal. However, if the plant continues to be down for an extended period of time, particularly as temperatures heat up and air-conditioning loads increase, the region may experience marginally higher power pricing as result of the shutdown.
The Pilgrim plant is also undergoing a relicensing process through the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Nuclear power plants typically produce electricity by using fissile nuclear material to produce heat. This thermal energy vaporizes water into steam. In turn, this steam spins one or more turbines, each of which is connected to an electric generator. In this regard, nuclear power plants' reliance on steam resembles other thermal power plants such as those fired by combustion fuels like coal or biomass.
As with many other steam-based power plants, nuclear power plants often include steam condensers. A steam condenser takes the steam that is passed through the turbines and converts it back into liquid water. This enables the turbines to extract more energy from the flow of steam, and improves plant efficiency. It appears that a condenser at the Pilgrim station stopped working, leading to a shutdown of the plant.
Any time major equipment at a nuclear power plant sales or malfunctions, operators typically take it very seriously. Plant owner Entergy has reportedly said that it will not restart the plant until it figures out what went wrong.
Pilgrim Station is a relatively large generating facility, capable of producing up to 688 megawatts of power. The plant was reportedly operating at 30% of its capacity prior to yesterday's shutdown. As result, the short-term impacts on electricity markets in New England may be relatively minimal. However, if the plant continues to be down for an extended period of time, particularly as temperatures heat up and air-conditioning loads increase, the region may experience marginally higher power pricing as result of the shutdown.
The Pilgrim plant is also undergoing a relicensing process through the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Plymouth nuclear plant relicensing
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Two fish - the Atlantic sturgeon and the river herring - have been invoked to threaten the relicensing of a nuclear power plant in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
The Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, the only operating commercial nuclear power plant in Massachusetts, is a 688 MW boiling water nuclear reactor owned by Entergy. Originally commissioned in 1972 by utility Boston Edison, its original license had the maximum 40-year term allowed under the Atomic Energy Act. That license is due to expire on June 8, 2012.
Entergy applied to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a license renewal, seeking the 20 year term allowed for relicensing. That case remains pending. Stakeholders have raised a number of concerns about the plant's relicensing. For example, Pilgrim Station is built around a General Electric Mark I reactor, the same type and design as used in the ill-fated Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant; like Fukushima, the Plymouth plant is located on the coast. While the Pilgrim plant was designed to handle anticipated natural disasters, some believe the U.S. nuclear industry should be reevaluated in light of the Fukushima incident.
Now, U.S. Congressman Ed Markey of Massachusetts has sent a letter to NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko requesting that the NRC not re-license Pilgrim Station "until all legal requirements stipulated by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) have been met." Specifically, Congressman Markey notes that two threatened fish species - the Atlantic sturgeon and the river herring - inhabit the waters near the plant but were not considered in a key assessment of threatened or endangered species likely to be affected by relicensure. His letter also notes that the National Marine Fisheries Service has not yet issued a written biological opinion proposing a plan to protect threatened or endangered species, nor has the NMFS issued a written concurrence with the NRC's biological opinion.
These species were known to live in the area in 2007 when the NRC wrote its biological assessment, but were not designated as threatened at that time. NMFS designated the Gulf of Maine distinct population segment of Atlantic Sturgeon as threatened in February 2012, and two species of river herring are currently candidates for listing.
Based on these newly designated statuses, Congressman Markey asked NRC not to re-license the Pilgrim project until after the development of a new biological assessment to include the sturgeon and herring, along with any conditions needed to protect those species.
The Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, the only operating commercial nuclear power plant in Massachusetts, is a 688 MW boiling water nuclear reactor owned by Entergy. Originally commissioned in 1972 by utility Boston Edison, its original license had the maximum 40-year term allowed under the Atomic Energy Act. That license is due to expire on June 8, 2012.
Entergy applied to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a license renewal, seeking the 20 year term allowed for relicensing. That case remains pending. Stakeholders have raised a number of concerns about the plant's relicensing. For example, Pilgrim Station is built around a General Electric Mark I reactor, the same type and design as used in the ill-fated Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant; like Fukushima, the Plymouth plant is located on the coast. While the Pilgrim plant was designed to handle anticipated natural disasters, some believe the U.S. nuclear industry should be reevaluated in light of the Fukushima incident.
Now, U.S. Congressman Ed Markey of Massachusetts has sent a letter to NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko requesting that the NRC not re-license Pilgrim Station "until all legal requirements stipulated by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) have been met." Specifically, Congressman Markey notes that two threatened fish species - the Atlantic sturgeon and the river herring - inhabit the waters near the plant but were not considered in a key assessment of threatened or endangered species likely to be affected by relicensure. His letter also notes that the National Marine Fisheries Service has not yet issued a written biological opinion proposing a plan to protect threatened or endangered species, nor has the NMFS issued a written concurrence with the NRC's biological opinion.
These species were known to live in the area in 2007 when the NRC wrote its biological assessment, but were not designated as threatened at that time. NMFS designated the Gulf of Maine distinct population segment of Atlantic Sturgeon as threatened in February 2012, and two species of river herring are currently candidates for listing.
Based on these newly designated statuses, Congressman Markey asked NRC not to re-license the Pilgrim project until after the development of a new biological assessment to include the sturgeon and herring, along with any conditions needed to protect those species.
NRC approves Georgia nuclear reactors
Friday, February 10, 2012
Federal regulators have approved the construction of two nuclear reactors in Georgia. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved the addition of two Toshiba/Westinghouse AP1000to Southern Co.'s existing Vogtle nuclear power plant, despite a dissenting vote by NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko. (Here is the NRC order.) This represents the first NRC approval for construction of a new reactor since 1978.
31 states are already home to commercial nuclear reactors. The U.S. power industry's nuclear fleet includes 104 reactors at 65 power plants. (EIA provides a nice map with generalized locations of nuclear power plants.) Most are located near water sources, in the eastern half of the country. Illinois alone is home to 11 reactors.
Over the last two decades, nuclear energy has provided about 20% of our electricity supply. For example, in 2010, U.S. nuclear plants generated 807 billion kilowatt-hours out of nearly 3,884 billion kWh total supply. This amounts to about 8% of the total energy consumed in the U.S. from all sources.
The Vogtle project's projected cost is $14 billion, with a targeted operational date as early as 2016. The reactors approved for Georgia each have a nameplate capacity of 1,154 megawatts, making them significant sources of power. The reactors chosen for the project are designed to have simple fail-safe mechanisms to protect against the kind of catastrophe that occurred at Fukushima.
The NRC approved the project by a 4-1 vote. Chairman Jaczko cast the dissenting vote, noting in his written dissent, "I simply cannot authorize issuance of these licenses without any binding obligation that these plants will have implemented the lessons learned from the Fukushima accident before they operate."
By majority vote, the NRC authorized its Director of the Office of New Reactors to issue the work authorizations and licenses needed to allow the construction and operation of Vogtle Units 3 and 4.
31 states are already home to commercial nuclear reactors. The U.S. power industry's nuclear fleet includes 104 reactors at 65 power plants. (EIA provides a nice map with generalized locations of nuclear power plants.) Most are located near water sources, in the eastern half of the country. Illinois alone is home to 11 reactors.
Over the last two decades, nuclear energy has provided about 20% of our electricity supply. For example, in 2010, U.S. nuclear plants generated 807 billion kilowatt-hours out of nearly 3,884 billion kWh total supply. This amounts to about 8% of the total energy consumed in the U.S. from all sources.
The Vogtle project's projected cost is $14 billion, with a targeted operational date as early as 2016. The reactors approved for Georgia each have a nameplate capacity of 1,154 megawatts, making them significant sources of power. The reactors chosen for the project are designed to have simple fail-safe mechanisms to protect against the kind of catastrophe that occurred at Fukushima.
The NRC approved the project by a 4-1 vote. Chairman Jaczko cast the dissenting vote, noting in his written dissent, "I simply cannot authorize issuance of these licenses without any binding obligation that these plants will have implemented the lessons learned from the Fukushima accident before they operate."
By majority vote, the NRC authorized its Director of the Office of New Reactors to issue the work authorizations and licenses needed to allow the construction and operation of Vogtle Units 3 and 4.
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