Third International PLiM Conference, 14-18 May 2012, Salt Lake City

Nuclear Power Engineering with Sights and Sounds Nuclear Power Engineering with Sights and Sounds

Plant Life Management (PLiM)
for Safe Long Term Operation (LTO)

Technical Cooperation Projects Activities


National Workshop on Power Uprating for Laguna Verde Nuclear Power Plant, 9–12 June 2008, Veracruz, Mexico


Currently a significant number of the nuclear power plants have plans for power uprate by larger or smaller amounts. In most cases this is an economic way of producing more electricity in a nuclear power plant, and which has attracted interest due to increased electricity prices; a situation that is expected to remain. Power uprates are categorized based on the magnitude of the power increase and the methods used to achieve the increase of core power.

The increase in the electricity produced in a nuclear power plant can be achieved in two ways:

  • One way is to increase the thermal power in the reactor, and
  • The other way is to improve the thermal conversion efficiency in the power plant by refurbishing or replacing the high-pressure or low-pressure turbine units - or a combination of these actions.

National Workshop on Power Uprating for Laguna Verde Nuclear Power Plant, 9–12 June 2008, Veracruz, Mexico

The Agency invited three experts from USA, Switzerland and Republic of Korea. A total of 31 participants from 3 countries in Latin America region – Mexico, Argentina and Brazil - participated in the workshop. The workshop consisted of three technical sessions besides the opening and closing sessions:

  • Session 1: Background, history, overall information of power uprating - experience in Member States.
  • Session 2: Individual phases of power uprating.
  • Session 3: Side effects and regulatory aspects of power uprating; lessons learned.

The actual status of power uprating of Laguna Verde Nuclear Power Plant (LVNPP), as of June 2008, is as follows:

  • Phase 1, the feasibility study in order to identify pinch points for extended power uprate, has been completed in 2005,
  • Phase 2, focused on performing safety analysis for nuclear steam supply system and for the plant’s systems, structures and components including safety analysis for maximum extended load line limit analysis (MELLLA+) during the 2006–2008, and
  • Phase 3, need to implement and refurbishment to meet MELLLA+ conditions.

Since December 1999, the power of LVNPP has been increased up to 105%, from original 1931 MWth to 2027 MWth (Stretched Power Uprate). There are 82 tasks in total to be performed for extended power uprate conditions: The target is to increase the power up to 120% at 2317 MWth (Extended Power Uprate) for Unit 1 in May 2010 and Unit 2 in October 2010.

In the workshop closing session, it has been stressed that the side effects of power uprate should be considered in design phase.

References:

  • Guidelines and Experiences on Power Uprating in nuclear Power Plants, IAEA-TECDOC-xxxx, IAEA, Vienna (2008)
  • Implications of Power Uprates on Safety Margins of Nuclear Power Plants, IAEA-TECDOC-1418, IAEA, Vienna (2004)