Press Release-11-075, NRC Approves Increased Power Output for Point Beach Nuclear Power Plant

Press Release-11-075: NRC Approves Increased Power Output for Point Beach Nuclear Power Plant

ML111230885
Person / Time
Site:	Point Beach
Issue date:	05/03/2011
From:	Office of Public Affairs
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Press Release-11-075
Download: ML111230885 (1)

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NRC NEWS U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs Telephone: 301/415-8200 Washington, D.C. 20555-0001 E-mail: opa.resource@nrc.gov Site: www.nrc.gov Blog: http://public-blog.nrc-gateway.gov No.11-075 May 3, 2011 NRC APPROVES INCREASED POWER OUTPUT FOR POINT BEACH NUCLEAR POWER PLANT The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved a request by NextEra Energy to increase the generating capacity of both Units 1 and 2 at the Point Beach Nuclear Plant by 17 percent.

The NRC staff determined that NextEra could safely increase the reactors output primarily by carrying out significant upgrades to several plant systems and components, including safety-related pumps and valves, as well as the turbine-generator set. NRC staff also reviewed NextEras evaluations showing the plants design can handle the increased power level.

The NRCs safety evaluation of the plants proposed power uprate focused on several areas, such as the nuclear steam supply systems, instrumentation and control systems, electrical systems, accident evaluations, radiological consequences, operations and training, testing, and technical specification changes. For added confidence in the analysis, the NRC staff also conducted independent calculations and evaluations of selected areas.

The power uprate for Point Beach Units 1 and 2, approximately 13 miles northwest of Manitowoc, Wisc., authorizes an increase of each reactors generating capacity from approximately 512 to 600 megawatts electric. NextEra is implementing the uprate for Unit 2 during its current refueling outage, and intends to implement the uprate for Unit 1 during its fall 2011 refueling outage.

The NRC previously published a notice about the power uprate application in the Federal Register (http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-28963.pdf, page 70305), providing the public an opportunity to comment or request a hearing. The agencys evaluation of the Point Beach power uprate will be available through the NRCs ADAMS electronic document database by entering ML110450159 under the Simple Search tab. More information on uprates is available on the NRC website.

News releases are available through a free listserv subscription at the following Web address:

http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/listserver.html. The NRC homepage at www.nrc.gov also offers a SUBSCRIBE link. E-mail notifications are sent to subscribers when news releases are posted to NRC's website.