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U.S. Nuclear Power Plant Closures [Slideshow]

June 25, 2016

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, nuclear power has accounted for about 20% of electricity generated in the U.S. each year since 1990. In fact, the U.S. nuclear fleet out produced France—the country with the next highest nuclear generation—by more than two to one in 2012. Russia was a distant third, generating less than a quarter of the U.S. total.

But times of late have been tough for U.S. nuclear generators. Natural gas prices are at historic lows, leading to cheap gas-fueled generation. Even with climate concerns and a worldwide movement to reduce CO₂ emissions, the market is not rewarding nuclear power’s zero-carbon generation. In competitive markets, nuclear power is not competitive.

Since October 2012, U.S. nuclear plant owners have closed or announced closure of 14 reactor units at 11 plant sites. Many of the units had already gone through the lengthy process of obtaining 20-year license extensions, which would have allowed them to operate until the 2030s in some cases.…

FPL to Buy and Phase Out Another Florida Coal Power Plant

June 21, 2016

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Florida Light and Power (FPL) wants to buy and phase out another coal-fired power plant in Florida, a move it says will save its customers an estimated $ 129 million when new gas-fired infrastructure is built in the state.

The NextEra subsidiary on June 20 filed a petition for the Florida Public Service Commission’s (PSC’s) approval to buy the 330-MW Indiantown Cogeneration facility, which is currently owned by Calypso Energy Holdings, in a deal valued at about $ 451 million (including existing debt).

The coal-fired plant is equipped with advanced pollution controls, including selective catalytic reduction technology and a zero-discharge water treatment system. It also sells steam to Louis Dreyfus Citrus, a nearby food processing plant, under an energy services agreement. It is unclear how the deal will affect that contract.

The state regulator approved a power purchase agreement between FPL and the cogeneration facility in 1991 that does not expire until 2025. If the PSC approves the proposal, FPL estimates it will save customers $ 129 million over the remaining life of the contract, approximately nine years.…

GE-Powered Combined Cycle Plant Sets New Efficiency Record

June 19, 2016

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Guinness World Records recognized GE’s HA gas turbine for powering the world’s most efficient—up to 62.22%—combined cycle power plant.

The first unit equipped with an HA turbine officially began operation on June 17 at EDF’s plant located in Bouchain, France.

“Today we are making history with this power plant for the future,” said Steve Bolze, president and CEO of GE Power. “We are thrilled to be acknowledged by Guinness World Records for powering the world’s most efficient combined-cycle power plant, and we are also very proud of the industry-leading flexibility and reliability this turbine provides to our customers. We look forward to continuing to work with EDF and providing services to ensure the ongoing high performance of the Bouchain plant in the years to come.”

According to GE, the airflow through the 605-MW Bouchain plant’s HA compressor could fill the Goodyear blimp in 10 seconds. The tip of the last blade in the 9HA.01 is said to move at 1,200 miles per hour—one and a half times the speed of sound (Figure 1).…

Watts Bar Unit 2 Nuclear Plant Synchronized to Power Grid

June 7, 2016

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The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) reached another milestone on June 3 when operators at Watts Bar Unit 2—the nation’s newest nuclear power plant and the first added to the fleet in 20 years—synchronized its generator to the power grid, generating electricity from the plant for the first time (Figure 1).

1. Reactor Operator Bill Hahn synchronizes Watts Bar Unit 2 to the TVA power grid on Friday, June 3, 2016. Courtesy: TVA

Watts Bar Unit 2 has had a long and storied history. Ground was broken for the plant in 1973. However, construction was suspended in 1985 due to slower electricity demand growth, rising construction costs due to inflation and new regulatory requirements stemming from the accident at Three Mile Island in 1979, and regulatory concerns throughout the TVA nuclear fleet. At the time, Unit 2 was estimated to be about 80% complete with a total investment of about $ 1.7 billion.

In the years that followed, various pieces of equipment, such as pumps, motors, and valves, were salvaged for use in Watts Bar Unit 1 or in Watts Bar’s sister plant, Sequoyah.…