Part of a Special Section covering the Nuclear Construction Summit USA 2009, October 26-27 – Washington DC
The Nuclear Construction Summit, USA 2009 was attended by professionals who finance, plan and develop next nuclear projects. Professionals delivered information that will form blueprints for successful financing and construction risk assessment and management at every phase of the construction cycle. From government and regulatory bodies to operator insight and in-depth contractor experience.
- Presented by Masoud Bajestani, WBN 2 Project Vice President –
The attached pdf presentation from the NCS meeting details the TVA Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Unit 2 Update
Project History
• May 1971-Application for Construction Permits for WBN Unit 1 and 2 requested
• January 1973 - Construction Permits for WBN Unit 1 and 2 issued
• October 1976 - Application for an Operating License for WBN Units 1 and 2 Requested
• Opportunity for Hearing
• June 1982 - Safety Evaluation Report for Operating License for WBN Units 1 and 2 (NUREG – 0847) issued
• September 1985 - NRC “Show Cause” Letter to TVA
• Late 1985 - WBN Unit 2 Construction Suspended
• May 1989 - Nuclear Performance Plan (NPP) Describes Actions to Identify and Correct Problems at WBN
• December 1989 - Safety Evaluation Report WBN NPP WBN Unit 1 (NUREG-1232)
• November 1990 - NUREG-0847 Supplement 5 issued
• October 1995 - FSAR Amendment 91 issued
• November 1995 - Low Power Operating License for WBN Unit 1 issued
• February 1996 - Operating License for WBN Unit 1 issued
• July 2000 - TVA Formally Deferred WBN Unit 2
• January 2007 – Detailed Scoping Estimating Planning Study
• July 2007 - NRC Staff Requirements Memorandum
• August 2007 - TVA Board Approves 5 Year Program for Completion of Construction of WBN Unit 2
• August 2007 - Construction Reactivation Letter
• July 2008 - Construction Permit Extension
WBN Unit 2 Major Contractors
• Bechtel
– Engineering, Procurement and Construction
• Siemens
– Turbine/Generator Activities
• Westinghouse
– NSSS Activities
• Day and Zimmerman NPS
– Turbine Building Activities
Installation Status
• Major structures complete
• System and component installations are substantially complete
– Many components “borrowed” by the operating units
• Expect no more than minor degradation of components
• Engineering to complete design, upgrade baseline documents, incorporate key design changes to match operating unit, and complete work on CAPs and special programs
WBN Unit 2 Activities
• Engineering
– Walkdown packages
– Calculations
– Design changes
– Corrective Action Program work
– Review of historical documents
• Construction
– Supports
– Cable installation
– Replacement of missing components
– Refurbishment
– Turbine upgrades
• Pre-operational Testing
Staffing Projection
• Current project staffing is just over 2000
– Approximately 525 in Knoxville
– 1450 at the plant site
• Approximately 1000 +/- craft positions will be added over the next year
• Next year, major engineering work is expected to complete and staffing in Knoxville decrease with some staff moving to the site
Watts Bar Unit 2 Project Status
• Tracking to complete within the 60 month schedule
• Critical path - delivery of key equipment
• Engineering and licensing activities are on schedule
• Bulk work behind schedule because not enough work packages ready for field work
• Staffing levels ramping up this fall
• First system turnovers should be in the first half of 2010
Lessons Learned - Contracts
• Partnering arrangements should be completed prior to awarding a contract to a “lead” company
• Divisions of responsibilities between prime contractors clearly defined
• ASME code relationships between prime contractors designed and established prior to survey
• Include owner options to award work to other companies should performance warrant
• Include clear language defining rework, thresholds for programmatic issues and one time events, and responsibility for correction
Lessons Learned - Processes
• Detailed review of the proposed procedures for all aspects of the project
– Initiation of specific designs
– Packaging for construction
– Procurement
– Work controls
– Quality control
– Generic construction guides
– Work completion and closure
– Construction turnover to testing
• Begin at the end to be sure the processes support the documentation required by the license
• Corrective Action Program should be tailored to construction
Lessons Learned – People
• Major companies have generally been relegated to modifications of operating plants, considerably different from new nuclear construction
• Experience levels likely thin at all major players
– OEM experience in PRA
– Job planning
– Supervision
– Engineering/Field engineering
• Experienced oversight and mentoring
• Training/OJT
• Clear processes
• Owner should perform the pre-operational testing and augment the construction and engineering processes as a developmental tool for plant staffing (system engineers, maintenance personnel, etc)
Lessons Learned – Material
• Supplier choices are more limited than during the original build of nuclear units
• Foreign suppliers for much of the large components
• ASME code suppliers
• Face to face meeting with proposed suppliers with owner oversight
• Supplier quality assurance program reviews prior to award
• Periodic visits during fabrication
• Critical performance tests witnessed by owner
Project Controls
• Owners – Intrude from day 1
• Expect production curves, metrics, schedules for all aspects of the project
• Effective monitoring of cost and schedule performance indices necessary for project success
• Sample curves follow
Closing Thoughts
• On line, on time, on budget is achievable provided everyone is prepared and is paying attention
• Experience levels for craft, engineers, management is thin for new nuclear construction
• Material suppliers are still “gearing up”
• Don’t underestimate ASME certificate acquisition process
• Owner should be involved and intrusive in the daily and big picture plans
Click here for the entire presentation in pdf of TVA Watts Bar Nuclear Plant Unit 2 Update