February 15, 2008

Global Monitor (February 2008)

Areva seeks NRC certification of its reactor

In mid-December, Areva applied for NRC certification of its evolutionary pressurized water reactor (EPR) design. The application is ahead of schedule, making it more likely that the company will be able to meet its goal of deploying at least four reactors of that type in the U.S by 2015.

“By building on our considerable licensing experience in the U.S. as well as that gained through the detailed licensing processes in Finland and France, we have prepared what we believe is the most thorough design certification application the NRC has received to date,” said Tom Christopher, president and CEO of Areva NP Inc. “We were able to achieve a high level of detail and confidence in the design application because of the completeness of the global EPR design now under construction, and by working directly with a large and highly respected energy company, Constellation Energy. We look forward to a timely NRC review and continued success for the EPR in the U.S.”

The EPR is the only reactor technology in the industry’s Generation III+ design category currently under construction anywhere in the world (Figure 4). Safety-grade construction of the first Areva EPR began in Finland in 2005, and another reactor broke ground in 2007 in France. The EPR has begun the prelicensing phase in the UK, so the NRC’s certification of the design would authorize its use in a fourth country. The fifth licensing process will occur in China, where a contract for two EPRs was signed in November as part of the biggest deal ever in the history of nuclear power.



4. Coming to America? Areva has applied for NRC certification of its evolutionary pressurized water reactor (EPR) design. Shown is an EPR-based plant under construction at TVO’s Olkiluoto site in Finland that has an estimated start-up date of 2011. Courtesy: Areva NP

Areva’s application for NRC certification of the EPR design comprises 12,000 pages of documentation prepared by a project team of 325 engineers and 55 support staff. To ensure an efficient and timely review of the application, Areva began official discussions with the NRC in January 2005. Dozens of technical exchanges and planning meetings with the agency followed the initial meeting; during them, Areva provided topical reports and supporting materials in the hope of obtaining early approval of some parts of the design.

Mitsubishi also in line at the NRC

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has applied to the NRC for certification of its U.S.-advanced pressurized water reactor (US-APWR), a 1,700-MW design that the Japanese company hopes to deploy in the U.S.

Last year, TXU Energy (now Luminant), the Dallas-based electric utility, signed a deal with MHI to use the US-APWR design for two new reactors it is considering building at its Comanche Peak plant in Glen Rose, Texas. 
 

PV project shines in Nevada

On December 17, 2007, the U.S. Air Force celebrated the completion of North America’s largest photovoltaic (PV) system at Nellis Air Force Base in northeast Las Vegas. A joint venture of MMA Renewable Ventures LLC, SunPower Corp., and Nevada Power Co., the 14-MW project (Figure 5) supplies about 25% of the power used by the base and its population of 12,000.

5. Air Force goes solar. These photovoltaic panels at Nellis Air Force Base use tracking devices to keep them pointed toward the sun throughout the day. Tilted toward the south, each set of panels rotates around a central bar. Courtesy: Nellis Air Force Base

Covering 140 acres of land at the western edge of the base, the system comprises 72,000 solar panels that use SunPower’s proprietary single-axis Tracker T20 technology to follow the sun throughout the day. According to the company, the technology delivers up to 30% more energy than traditional fixed-tilt ground systems.

MMA Renewable Ventures financed and operates the plant and will sell its output to the base under a guaranteed fixed-rate contract for the next 20 years. Nevada Power supports the project by purchasing the renewable energy credits it generates.

“This solar project at Nellis is a first step of many toward making renewable electricity integral to [our] operations,” said William Anderson, assistant secretary of U.S. Air Force Installations, Environment, and Logistics. “As the largest consumer of energy in the federal government, the Air Force is well-positioned to promote both solar technology and new approaches to its implementation. This pioneering initiative is a good example of how a creative approach to public-private partnership can make our energy supply more sustainable, more secure, and more affordable.”

“The best way to secure a healthy and prosperous economy is to develop our affordable, reliable local resources,” added Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons. “With these 14 megawatts, Nellis Air Force Base is leading the country in solar energy deployment, a move that is good for the environment and our nation’s energy security alike.”