EPRI Overview and Generic Aspects of PWR and BWR Studies

Abstract

The useful operating life of any electrical generating unit is usually defined by an economic comparison with available alternatives for supply of electricity. Due largely to uncertainty in demand forecasting and a slowdown in technology improvements, few new baseload options now look economically attractive when compared to refurbishing present capacity. Refurbishing a current nuclear unit appears particularly desirable because of favorable fuel costs. These observations have lead to U.S. interest in NUPLEX-nuclear plant life extension--for its LWR capacity. Because NUPLEX implies operating a unit beyond its original license term, a number of policy and licensing issues are involved in addition to technical and economic ones. The latter set, perhaps more accurately characterized as defining a life cycle management plan for a generating unit, are now being developed.