Home | En Español | Contact Us | Site Map | Careers |  |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
Power Uprate for FPL’s St. Lucie and Turkey Point Plants Q&A
The ProposalWhat are FPL’s plans for a power uprate at its nuclear units? We are proposing to increase the power output from all four of FPL’s nuclear power units -- two units at Turkey Point and two units at the St. Lucie Plant. How much will the power output increase? FPL is proposing to increase the generating capacity of its four nuclear units by approximately 100 megawatts each. (This is an increase of approximately 14 percent for each Turkey Point unit and an increase of 11 percent for each St. Lucie unit.) When are the power uprates planned for St. Lucie and Turkey Point Plants? Subject to a number of factors, including timely regulatory approvals, this added capacity is expected to be implemented in 2011 for Turkey Point Unit 4 and St. Lucie Unit 1 and in 2012 for Turkey Point Unit 3 and St. Lucie Unit 2. How much will these power uprates cost? The estimated cost of the uprates is expected to total approximately $1.5 billion -- $766 million at Turkey Point and $706 million at St. Lucie. In addition to the uprate, the cost of changes to the transmission system is estimated at $45 million. Even with this cost, increasing the use of nuclear power will displace generation produced from higher cost fuels such as oil and natural gas or purchased power, thereby producing substantial fuel savings that would be reflected in customers’ electric bills. The NeedWhy are these power uprates needed? The fast-growing demand for electricity due to the state’s increasing population and our customers’ increasing use of electricity requires FPL to explore safe, reliable ways to increase power output from our existing nuclear power plants. Maintaining reliable service at an affordable price always is a top priority. In addition, all four of FPL’s Florida nuclear power plants have been approved to operate an additional 20 years beyond the original 40-year license. Expanding the capability of these plants will help reduce fuel costs for our customers for many years to come. We also plan to provide new, more efficient technology to better convert nuclear fuel to electricity. How much are power demands growing? FPL’s service area consists of some of the fastest-growing communities in the nation. The company is projecting an average increase of approximately 85,000 new customer accounts annually for the next 15 years. Larger homes and more extensive use of electronic devices add to the growing demand for power. The average FPL residential customer uses 30 percent more electricity than 20 years ago. Increasing power output from our existing nuclear power plants is one mechanism that can help FPL address this need. Plant UpgradesWill plant modifications be needed for these power uprates? State-of-the-art equipment and processes used in the uprates will increase plant reliability, safety and efficiency. At the new uprated power levels, a number of components would be modified or replaced with the latest technology to accommodate production of additional megawatts. Components such as pipes, valves, pumps, heat exchangers, electrical transformers and generators, would be replaced or upgraded to accommodate the conditions that would exist at higher power levels. What changes to the current transmission system or other associated facilities may be needed to accommodate the increased generation at the Turkey Point and St. Lucie plant sites? The total increase to the power grid will be approximately 400 megawatts, with about 200 megawatts in Miami-Dade County and 200 megawatts in St. Lucie County. With these additional megawatts, upgrades to the transmission system may be necessary. When the specifications associated with the modified major plant electrical equipment (rewound generator stator, new generator rotors and main transformers) become available, they will be used to perform a more detailed study to determine the upgrades that may be needed on the transmission system. The current estimated cost of $45 million for transmission modifications is preliminary and will be updated once the more detailed study to determine the extent of the upgrades to the transmission system is completed. The Benefits and the AnalysesWhat are the benefits of implementing these power uprates? The power uprates at Turkey Point and St. Lucie Plants would provide significant benefits for our customers:
What analyses will be done to ensure that the power uprates are safe? The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) provides specific guidance on the content of an extended power uprate license amendment. The detailed engineering analyses required for the uprate effort and the NRC license amendment applications will examine all essential safety and technical aspects of the uprate project. FPL’s analyses will confirm that current safety systems are adequate at the higher power level or will identify modifications needed to ensure the safety of the plant and the public. ApprovalsDoes the NRC have to approve the power uprates? FPL’s analyses must demonstrate that the proposed new plant configuration remains safe and that measures continue to be in place to protect the public health and safety. These analyses are reviewed by the NRC’s technical and legal staff and NRC management before a request for a power uprate is approved. In order to increase reactor power, license amendment requests will have to be submitted to the NRC. This could be submitted in early 2009 with NRC approval expected in mid-2010. The NRC will perform a thorough safety and environmental review to assess whether FPL can accomplish the uprates safely and reliably. What is the process by which NRC approves power uprates? After a licensee submits a license amendment request to change the power level at which it operates its plant, the NRC notifies the public, by issuing a public notice in the Federal Register, that the NRC is considering the request. The public has 30 days to comment on the licensee’s request and 60 days to request a hearing. The NRC thoroughly reviews the request, any public comments, and any requests for hearings received from the public. After completing its review and considering and addressing any public comments and requests for hearings related to the application, the NRC issues its findings in a safety evaluation and notifies the public in another Federal Register notice of the NRC decision related to the application. On the basis of its findings, the NRC may approve or deny the request. Press releases are issued if a power uprate is approved. What is the likelihood of NRC approval of the license amendment request? FPL has considerable experience with power uprate license amendments and other complex amendment applications. The core team that carried out the successful license amendment and engineering for the Seabrook Station uprate also recently prepared and submitted the applications for the license renewal for both Turkey Point and St. Lucie sites. All of these amendments and applications were approved. This core team will also be involved in the power uprate work to be submitted to the NRC. Do any other agencies have to approve the power uprates? FPL must obtain a need determination approval from the Florida Public Service Commission and the company is planning to file this need determination by the end of the third quarter. This is the stage where the company and the state’s regulators review the benefits that the power uprates can offer FPL customers and make a determination if the project should be pursued. Then, FPL would pursue site certification through the Power Plant Siting Act. This process involves state and local governments and agencies in the review of issues related to the power uprate project. What must the company do to earn state approvals? FPL must apply for and receive a determination from the Florida Public Service Commission that the power uprates are needed. Then, FPL must file a site certification application with the Department of Environmental Protection. It must receive approvals from several state agencies, go through a public hearing before an administrative law judge, and finally obtain approval from the Florida Cabinet. Industry & FPL Power UpratesHave other nuclear power plants performed power rates before? Utilities have been using power uprates since the 1970s as a way to increase the power output of their nuclear plants. More than 100 nuclear units have been approved for different levels of power uprates. What experience does FPL have with power uprates? FPL has significant power uprate experience in that successful uprate projects have been previously carried out at the four FPL nuclear units in Florida and more recently in 2006, a significant uprate at our Seabrook Nuclear Station in New Hampshire. Some plant modifications were required for the power uprates. What were the megawatt increases during the previous uprates? St. Lucie units uprated 5.5% in 1981 (Unit 1) and 1985 (Unit 2); Turkey Point units uprated 4.5% in 1996 and the Seabrook unit uprated 6.9% in 2005/2006. I’ve heard that there are different classifications of power uprates. What is FPL’s proposed power uprate? A power uprate that seeks to increase output by more than seven percent is called an extended power uprate. Extended power uprates can be as much as a 20 percent increase in output and require significant modifications to major balance-of-plant equipment such as the high pressure turbines, condensate pumps and motors, main generators, and/or transformers. FPL’s proposed uprates at St. Lucie and Turkey Point are considered extended power uprates because the output would be increased 11 percent and 14 percent, respectively. Has a power uprate of the level being proposed by FPL ever been performed in the nuclear industry? Similar power uprates have been performed at the Ginna Plant in New York and the Waterford Plant in Louisiana. Although no two power uprate projects are identical, the methodology follows a consistent pattern. Changes in Plant OperationsDoes reactor power have to be increased for the power uprate? Reactor power will be increased by replacing about 40 percent of the used fuel with new fuel during each scheduled refueling, which occurs about every 18 months. Currently, about 33 percent of the used fuel is replaced during each refueling outage. By increasing the amount of new fuel in the reactor, we will be able to safely and effectively increase the reactor power during operation. When reactor power is increased, what is the result? The increased reactor power will result in water being at a slightly higher temperature as it exits the reactor and enters the steam generators. There will also be an increased heat transfer from the steam generators to the secondary system. (Similar to how your car’s radiator operates, water in the secondary system enters the steam generators and flows on the outside of thousands of tubes. The hot reactor water is circulating inside the steam generator tubes and that heat is transferred to the secondary system water, which then turns to steam and is piped to the plant’s turbine and electrical generator to produce electricity.) The main steam flow to the turbines will also increase for all units as a result of the power uprates. Florida Growth and Energy AlternativesCan you explain more about growth in Florida? Our 35-county service area consists of some of the fastest-growing communities in the nation. In addition, the average FPL residential customer now uses 30 percent more electricity than 20 years ago due to new appliances and electronics, such as computers. Businesses also are making greater use of computers and other electronics. The company is projecting an average increase of approximately 85,000 new customer accounts annually for the next 15 years. How many customers does FPL serve and what is the utility doing to meet overall growth? FPL serves more than 4.4 million homes and businesses in 35 Florida counties. We generate electricity at 14 different power plant sites throughout the state (and Georgia). Including our generating units and the power we purchase, we have nearly 24,000 megawatts of resources to serve our customers, including our required 20 percent reserve margin. In addition to energy conservation and demand side management programs, FPL plans to meet the growing demand through 2010 with the addition of a new natural gas-fired generating unit at Turkey Point in Miami-Dade County that became operational in May 2007 and two new natural gas-fired units at the West County Energy Center in Palm Beach County in 2009 and 2010. Between 2011 and 2020, FPL will need to increase its current electrical generation capacity by nearly 33 percent to meet projected growth in demand for electricity. That means we will need to add 700 to 800 megawatts of electric generating capacity per year to provide an adequate reserve margin and continue to meet the needs of customers reliably. This is in addition to energy conservation and demand side management programs that will offset about 26 percent of expected electric demand growth through 2015. New nuclear generation is one of the potential options FPL is evaluating to address this need. Turkey Point has been chosen as a preferred site for potential new nuclear generating facilities, if the company decides to move forward with expanding its nuclear capacity. Rather than carrying out these power uprates, why doesn’t the company add more energy conservation or renewable energy? Actually, thanks to our customers’ participation in FPL-sponsored programs, the U.S. Department of Energy has recognized FPL as a national leader in energy conservation and load management programs, which help meet peak periods of high electricity use. In fact, FPL customers have helped defer the need for 11 power plants during the past two decades. Our energy efficiency programs will offset about 26 percent of expected demand growth through 2015. FPL is also aggressively pursuing efficient, reliable and cost-effective renewable energy. For example, we are installing a 250-kilowatt solar power facility at Rothenbach Park in Sarasota County, which will be the largest solar array in Florida and one of the largest in the southeast United States. We’re also seeking a site in Florida for a wind turbine generation project, and we recently issued a request for proposals to identify and select new renewable generation resources that can be in place by 2015. In short, FPL will continue to explore energy conservation and renewable energy options; however, the growth rate in electric demand and the need for reliable electric power supplies far exceeds the capacity of renewable energy and energy conservation to meet future demand reliably. |
