Dominion Power's decision on a reactor design pushed by several months
- Edited by Linton Levy -
According to a report on Fredricksburg.com, It could be another six months before Dominion power company makes a final decision on the design it will use for a proposed third reactor at North Anna Power Station.
A spokesperson for the utility had said that decision was likely before the new year, but it may be delayed until mid-2010.
In its application to the NRC for a combined license to build and operate Unit 3, Dominion said it would use GE Hitachi's Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor, or ESBWR. One of a new generation of advanced reactors, it has not yet been certified by the NRC. It's one of several advanced reactors in the design and certification stage.
The ESBWR planned for North Anna Power Station would generate 1,520 megawatts of electricity--enough to power 375,000 homes at peak demand. The existing North Anna Units 1 and 2 together generate about 1,840 megawatts.
The ESBWR has improvements on Advanced Boiling Water Reactor designs, with features such as passive safety systems, a simplified plant design, and natural circulation to replace pumps. The ESBWR uses 25 percent fewer pumps, valves, and motors. GE Hitachi first submitted plans for the ESBWR, which would have a design life of 60 years, in 2005.
Dominion had stated that the GE Hitachi reactor is the preferred design for the North Anna project. However, in January, Dominion announced that it has been unable to reach an agreement with GE Hitachi on an engineering, procurement and construction agreement allowing it to move ahead with Unit 3.
Dominion then began soliciting designs from other reactor vendors--including designs already certified by the NRC.
Richard Zuercher, spokesman for Dominion's nuclear operations, last week would not say which direction the company is headed.
"We have been happy with the response from the reactor vendors that have participated in the process. It has been thorough and robust. We believe it is important to take the time necessary to complete this process successfully."
Zuercher said Dominion decided to explore other options "because we had not been able to sign a contract with GE Hitachi that provided the appropriate level of financial risk-sharing that would be necessary to move forward with a new unit and have it operating when we need the electricity in the next decade."
GE Hitachi has said it remains strongly interested in working with Dominion on Unit 3 of the North Anna plant, which is located on Lake Anna, near Mineral in Louisa County.
According to the NRC, ESBWR certification is not likely until sometime in 2011. Dominion says that either the ESBWR or its Advanced Boiling Water Reactor--already certified by the NRC--would be an attractive option for Dominion.
If Dominion chooses another design, it could affect the NRC's timetable for review of its COL application. For now, a decision on that is expected by the end of next year. Still, Dominion is not alone in reconsidering plans to use the ESBWR. Entergy Corp. decided not to use it for planned units in Mississippi and Louisiana.
Read about the ESBWR:
GE Hitachi – ESBWR - By Duncan Williams - Last week, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy announced an agreement with Detroit Edison to submit a joint application for a nuclear power plant to be located 35 miles south of Detroit. Detroit Edison, Michigan’s largest electric utility, will apply for an operating license using the GE ...