Development of a CANDU Fuel Channel Replacement Program

Abstract

Ontario Hydro has performed considerable rehabilitation on in-service nuclear reactors. The first fuel channel replacement at an in-service reactor was performed in 1967 and by July of 1987, an additional 863 fuel channels will have been replaced at Ontario Hydro nuclear generating stations. Progressive improvements in the fuel channel replacement programs have resulted from refinements in occupational safety, quality control, reactor outage duration, tooling/equipment. decontamination, mockups, overall coordination procedures and detailed work plans. Further improvements will continue to be sought in the on-going development and optimization of fuel channel replacement programs, as experience gained is factored into the planning.