GOOD NEWS MONDAY: TVA – THE UNHERALDED RENAISSANCE TRAILBLAZER
Before the end of the 2010s is over, the Tennessee Valley Authority will be able to lay claim to the distinction of successfully launching:
· The last commercial U.S. nuclear power plant to come on-line in the 20th Century (Watts Bar Unit One)
· The first U.S. plant to come on line in the 21st Century (Browns Ferry Unit One); and
· The first nuclear power to come on-line in the first chapter of the U.S. Nuclear Renaissance era (Watts Bar Two). Watts Bar Unit Two is projected to add 1,180 megawatts to the TVA nuclear fleet in 2013.
On Friday, these impressive achievements were bolstered by an announcement that the TVA Board of Directors has blessed investing about $250 million toward the potential completion of the Bellefonte Nuclear Plant Unit 1 in Alabama. TVA is envisioning a 1,260-megawatts reactor with completion costs ball-parked between $4 billion and $5 billion.
These projects collectively are creating thousands of jobs and have put TVA on the frontlines of the U.S. Nuclear Renaissance. TVA has also shown that nuclear power plants can be built at projected costs and schedules.
Purists will point out that the new Browns Ferry and Watts Bar plants were either shut-down or mothballed projects – not new nuclear units. In this vein, baseball fans may remember that in the middle of Roger Maris’ historic chase in 1961 to beat Babe Ruth’s historic home run record, Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick announced there would be a distinction in the record books if Maris took more games to break the Bambino’s record, which was achieved in 154 games. In fact, it took Maris 162 games. Well, after a decade or more of steroids induced home runs, both Babe Ruth’s and Roger Maris’ achievements are looking appropriately Herculean these days as are TVA’s initiative, jobs and clean energy leadership.
Hats off to TVA — the unheralded U.S. Nuclear Renaissance trailblazer – on its latest milestone.
Read more at CoolHandNuke.com
Tags: CoolHandNuke.com, Nuclear Townhall, Tennessee Valley Authority, TVA, US Nuclear Renaissance, Watts Bar Unit One
August 23rd, 2010 at 12:04 pm
I just wish that the TVA leadership could help Exelon figure out how valuable their 2200 MWe shut down nuclear plant at Zion could be.
If a plant that was shutdown for 25 years can be profitably restored to operation, how much less difficult would it be to start up a couple of units that were in reasonably good material condition before they were shut down in the mid 1990s.
Yes, there would be a need to replace steam generators, but the total repair bill could not be much different on a per unit basis than Browns Ferry.
August 23rd, 2010 at 12:04 pm
I just wish that the TVA leadership could help Exelon figure out how valuable their 2200 MWe shut down nuclear plant at Zion could be.
If a plant that was shutdown for 25 years can be profitably restored to operation, how much less difficult would it be to start up a couple of units that were in reasonably good material condition before they were shut down in the mid 1990s.
Yes, there would be a need to replace steam generators, but the total repair bill could not be much different on a per unit basis than Browns Ferry.
August 23rd, 2010 at 12:04 pm
I just wish that the TVA leadership could help Exelon figure out how valuable their 2200 MWe shut down nuclear plant at Zion could be.
If a plant that was shutdown for 25 years can be profitably restored to operation, how much less difficult would it be to start up a couple of units that were in reasonably good material condition before they were shut down in the mid 1990s.
Yes, there would be a need to replace steam generators, but the total repair bill could not be much different on a per unit basis than Browns Ferry.
August 23rd, 2010 at 2:58 pm
Rod, based on the below, the deed is done. Looks like the die is cast and/or the ball is in Energy Solutions courT.
August 23, 2010
EnergySolutions: Acquires Zion nuclear power station
EnergySolutions agrees with Exelon Nuclear to acquire the Zion nuclear power station to help accelerate cleanup of nuclear waste
EnergySolutions Inc has reached an agreement with Exelon Nuclear for officially closing the transfer of the Zion Station licenses to EnergySolutions. The purpose of the transaction is the beginning of the accelerated decommissioning of the Zion Station.
The date to officially transfer the licenses is anticipated to be September 1, 2010. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved the license transfer in 2008 with conditions, which was a major miles stone for the EnergySolutions license stewardship program.
“It is very important for EnergySolutions and Exelon to have agreed to close this transaction, so that decommissioning operations at the Zion Station can begin,†stated Val Christensen, President and CEO of EnergySolutions. “We appreciate the confidence Exelon has in EnergySolutions to safely and effectively perform the work.â€
The license stewardship program is a unique approach for the acceleration of the decommissioning of nuclear power plants. Under the program EnergySolutions will acquire the Zion Station assets, and operate as the owner and NRC licensee. EnergySolutions will process and dispose of any of Zion’s low-level radioactive waste at its Clive, Utah facility. The company will also put the spent nuclear fuel in NRC-approved dry cask storage containers on site.
The goal of the program is for the safe accelerated cleanup 12 years ahead of schedule. The project will allow for the restoration of the land for reuse at an earlier time than originally expected. Additionally, the project will bring about economic benefits in regard to jobs, goods and services to the local community.
EnergySolutions delivers a wide range of integrated services and solutions, including nuclear operations, characterization, decommissioning, decontaminations, site closure, transportation, nuclear materials management, processing, recycling, disposition of nuclear waste, and research and engineering services across the nuclear fuel cycle
August 23rd, 2010 at 2:58 pm
Rod, based on the below, the deed is done. Looks like the die is cast and/or the ball is in Energy Solutions courT.
August 23, 2010
EnergySolutions: Acquires Zion nuclear power station
EnergySolutions agrees with Exelon Nuclear to acquire the Zion nuclear power station to help accelerate cleanup of nuclear waste
EnergySolutions Inc has reached an agreement with Exelon Nuclear for officially closing the transfer of the Zion Station licenses to EnergySolutions. The purpose of the transaction is the beginning of the accelerated decommissioning of the Zion Station.
The date to officially transfer the licenses is anticipated to be September 1, 2010. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved the license transfer in 2008 with conditions, which was a major miles stone for the EnergySolutions license stewardship program.
“It is very important for EnergySolutions and Exelon to have agreed to close this transaction, so that decommissioning operations at the Zion Station can begin,†stated Val Christensen, President and CEO of EnergySolutions. “We appreciate the confidence Exelon has in EnergySolutions to safely and effectively perform the work.â€
The license stewardship program is a unique approach for the acceleration of the decommissioning of nuclear power plants. Under the program EnergySolutions will acquire the Zion Station assets, and operate as the owner and NRC licensee. EnergySolutions will process and dispose of any of Zion’s low-level radioactive waste at its Clive, Utah facility. The company will also put the spent nuclear fuel in NRC-approved dry cask storage containers on site.
The goal of the program is for the safe accelerated cleanup 12 years ahead of schedule. The project will allow for the restoration of the land for reuse at an earlier time than originally expected. Additionally, the project will bring about economic benefits in regard to jobs, goods and services to the local community.
EnergySolutions delivers a wide range of integrated services and solutions, including nuclear operations, characterization, decommissioning, decontaminations, site closure, transportation, nuclear materials management, processing, recycling, disposition of nuclear waste, and research and engineering services across the nuclear fuel cycle
August 23rd, 2010 at 2:58 pm
Rod, based on the below, the deed is done. Looks like the die is cast and/or the ball is in Energy Solutions courT.
August 23, 2010
EnergySolutions: Acquires Zion nuclear power station
EnergySolutions agrees with Exelon Nuclear to acquire the Zion nuclear power station to help accelerate cleanup of nuclear waste
EnergySolutions Inc has reached an agreement with Exelon Nuclear for officially closing the transfer of the Zion Station licenses to EnergySolutions. The purpose of the transaction is the beginning of the accelerated decommissioning of the Zion Station.
The date to officially transfer the licenses is anticipated to be September 1, 2010. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved the license transfer in 2008 with conditions, which was a major miles stone for the EnergySolutions license stewardship program.
“It is very important for EnergySolutions and Exelon to have agreed to close this transaction, so that decommissioning operations at the Zion Station can begin,†stated Val Christensen, President and CEO of EnergySolutions. “We appreciate the confidence Exelon has in EnergySolutions to safely and effectively perform the work.â€
The license stewardship program is a unique approach for the acceleration of the decommissioning of nuclear power plants. Under the program EnergySolutions will acquire the Zion Station assets, and operate as the owner and NRC licensee. EnergySolutions will process and dispose of any of Zion’s low-level radioactive waste at its Clive, Utah facility. The company will also put the spent nuclear fuel in NRC-approved dry cask storage containers on site.
The goal of the program is for the safe accelerated cleanup 12 years ahead of schedule. The project will allow for the restoration of the land for reuse at an earlier time than originally expected. Additionally, the project will bring about economic benefits in regard to jobs, goods and services to the local community.
EnergySolutions delivers a wide range of integrated services and solutions, including nuclear operations, characterization, decommissioning, decontaminations, site closure, transportation, nuclear materials management, processing, recycling, disposition of nuclear waste, and research and engineering services across the nuclear fuel cycle
August 24th, 2010 at 7:10 am
@Zionista:
With all due respect to “fat ladies” I am not sure that the singing has started just yet. The deal has been worked out, but the tractors are not moving, the concrete is not being cut, and the destruction is only now being lined up. The local officials, while interested in the potential jobs that are associated with the destruction program have also reminded the project officials that there are some fees that need to be paid before the work can begin. The town of Zion charges 1% of the cost of demolition and normally asks that those fees be paid up front.
I am also going to be working on a few blog posts that I hope may provide the basis for additional questioning before this destruction program really begins in earnest. The project may be quite beneficial for Exelon’s finances, but the company has raised my hackles by claiming that because of the few hundred people who will be employed to perform the work, the project will be beneficial for the state of Illinois and the local area.
August 24th, 2010 at 7:10 am
@Zionista:
With all due respect to “fat ladies” I am not sure that the singing has started just yet. The deal has been worked out, but the tractors are not moving, the concrete is not being cut, and the destruction is only now being lined up. The local officials, while interested in the potential jobs that are associated with the destruction program have also reminded the project officials that there are some fees that need to be paid before the work can begin. The town of Zion charges 1% of the cost of demolition and normally asks that those fees be paid up front.
I am also going to be working on a few blog posts that I hope may provide the basis for additional questioning before this destruction program really begins in earnest. The project may be quite beneficial for Exelon’s finances, but the company has raised my hackles by claiming that because of the few hundred people who will be employed to perform the work, the project will be beneficial for the state of Illinois and the local area.
August 24th, 2010 at 7:10 am
@Zionista:
With all due respect to “fat ladies” I am not sure that the singing has started just yet. The deal has been worked out, but the tractors are not moving, the concrete is not being cut, and the destruction is only now being lined up. The local officials, while interested in the potential jobs that are associated with the destruction program have also reminded the project officials that there are some fees that need to be paid before the work can begin. The town of Zion charges 1% of the cost of demolition and normally asks that those fees be paid up front.
I am also going to be working on a few blog posts that I hope may provide the basis for additional questioning before this destruction program really begins in earnest. The project may be quite beneficial for Exelon’s finances, but the company has raised my hackles by claiming that because of the few hundred people who will be employed to perform the work, the project will be beneficial for the state of Illinois and the local area.
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