Second longest run ever by a U.S. nuclear plant underscores commitment to reliability and safety by plant workers
Ending the second longest run ever by a nuclear generating unit in the United States, operators safely shut down the Unit 2 reactor at PPL Corporation’s Susquehanna nuclear power plant in northeastern Pennsylvania on Tuesday (4/7) to begin a planned refueling and maintenance outage.
Unit 2 generated electricity for 723 consecutive days since its last refueling and maintenance outage in 2007. That is a record for the Susquehanna plant, and the second longest run ever by a nuclear generating unit in the United States, according to figures provided by the Nuclear Energy Institute.
Continuous operation of Unit 2 helped the two-unit Susquehanna plant set a record by generating 19,046,000 megawatt-hours in 2008, which is enough to power about 2 million homes.
While the Unit 2 reactor is shut down, workers will replace about 40 percent of its uranium fuel and complete a number of equipment maintenance tasks and upgrades. The equipment maintenance to be performed will enhance reliability and help meet the growing demand for electricity to power the region’s economy.
Unit 1 at the plant continues to operate at full power.
“Some of the work to be completed during this outage will increase the amount of electricity the Susquehanna nuclear plant can safely generate,” said Neil Gannon, vice president-Nuclear Operations for PPL Susquehanna.
That work includes replacing the unit’s steam dryer, located in the reactor above the fuel core. The steam dryer helps to remove more than 99 percent of the moisture in the steam that turns the turbine to generate electricity. If not removed, the moisture would damage the turbine’s blades.
This work is part of the major investment PPL is making in the future of the Susquehanna plant. PPL is in the midst of a program to increase the plant’s electricity output and has asked the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to approve a 20-year extension of the operating licenses for both units.
Equipment upgrades will increase the plant’s generating capacity in phases. The first phase, completed on Unit 1 in 2008, increased the plant’s output by about 50 megawatts. Remaining increases — that will be implemented as plant modifications are completed in 2009, 2010 and 2011 — are expected to be about 110 megawatts.
PPL owns 90 percent of the additional generation; 10 percent belongs to the plant’s co-owner, Allegheny Electric Cooperative.
PPL originally planned to complete all of the necessary modifications on Unit 2 during this year’s outage to achieve the full power-level increase. PPL has decided to defer a portion of the modifications, in particular the installation of a new control system for plant equipment. The deferral will allow for additional testing of the control system software.
Because of this decision, PPL will not realize the full increase in generation from Unit 2 until 2011. PPL believes that the deferral will not have a significant effect on earnings.
PPL schedules nuclear refueling and maintenance outages at this time of year, when electricity use decreases because of mild weather. Each unit at the Susquehanna plant is taken out of service for refueling and maintenance every 24 months.
Unit 2 is expected to be generating electricity again before the arrival of summer weather and the resulting increase in electricity use by consumers.
About 1,500 additional people — PPL employees and contractors — who have been brought in to help accomplish all of this important work are expected to help the local economy.
“In addition to their valuable work at the plant, all the extra workers are filling tables at local restaurants and rooms in hotels and rental properties and shopping in stores in Luzerne and Columbia counties,” Gannon said. “Our annual outages help drive additional revenue for local businesses, a side benefit that we’re happy to bring to our neighbors.”
The Susquehanna plant, located in Luzerne County about seven miles north of Berwick, is owned jointly by PPL Susquehanna LLC and Allegheny Electric Cooperative Inc. and is operated by PPL Susquehanna.
PPL Susquehanna is one of PPL Corporation’s generating facilities. Headquartered in Allentown, Pa., PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL) controls or owns more than 12,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the United States, sells energy in key U.S. markets and delivers electricity to about 4 million customers in Pennsylvania and the United Kingdom.
###
Statements contained in this news release, including statements with respect to future earnings impacts and generating capacity and performance, are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Although PPL Corporation believes that the expectations and assumptions reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, these statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially from the results discussed in the statements. The following are among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements: market demand and prices for energy, capacity and fuel; the profitability and liquidity of PPL Corporation and its subsidiaries; operating performance of plants and other facilities; system conditions and operating costs; development of new projects, markets and technologies; regulatory developments; political, regulatory or economic conditions in states or regions where PPL Corporation or its subsidiaries conduct business; and the commitments and liabilities of PPL Corporation and its subsidiaries. Any such forward-looking statements should be considered in light of such important factors and in conjunction with PPL Corporation’s Form 10-K and other reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.