Designing for Maintainability: Use of Operating Experience and Feedback to Improve Performance of the ACR-1000

Abstract

The AECL, ACR-1000 is being designed to achieve high lifetime capacity factor, low unplanned forced outages and short planned outages once per 3 years. In order to achieve this target extensive use is made of operating experience and industry feedback to improve the plant design. There is also a target to operate and maintain the plant with less staff than current CANDU power plants. The design will accommodate improvements in staff productivity. While the focus is set on the targets above there is also one more objective, to contain the capital cost of the new plants. AECL and partners are designing the ACR-1000 plant using a number of initiatives that are client driven [e.g. through COG]. This paper outlines the use of industry feedback in general with specific details for Power Operated Valves (POVs). The nuclear industry has promoted that the basis for good operation and maintenance is best achieved by building in improvements in the initial design. AECL has endorsed this philosophy and feedback is central to the design of the ACR-1000.