Press Release-12-080, NRC Approves Increased Power Output for St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant

Press Release-12-080: NRC Approves Increased Power Output for St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant

ML12191A226
Person / Time
Site:	Saint Lucie
Issue date:	07/09/2012
From:	Office of Public Affairs
To:
References
Press Release-12-080
Download: ML12191A226 (1)

Text

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.12-080 July 9, 2012

• • • CORRECTED***

NRC APPROVES INCREASED POWER OUTPUT FOR ST. LUCIE NUCLEAR POWER PLANT The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved a request by Florida Power & Light (FP&L) to increase the power level of St. Lucie Unit 1 by 12 percent. The power uprate for the pressurized-water reactor, located approximately 10 miles southeast of Ft. Pierce, Fla., will increase the units thermal power level from 2,700 to 3,020 megawatts thermal.

The uprate translates into an increase in the plants electricity generating capacity of 15 percent, from approximately 853 to 982 megawatts electric.

The NRC staffs careful evaluation determined that FP&L could safely increase the reactors power output primarily by carrying out significant upgrades to several plant systems and components, including the feedwater pumps and the high-pressure turbine. As part of its evaluation, NRC staff reviewed the companys analysis showing the plants design can accommodate the increased power level.

The NRCs safety evaluation of the plants proposed power uprate focused on several areas, including the nuclear steam supply systems, instrumentation and control systems, electrical systems, accident evaluations, radiological consequences, fire protection, operations and training, testing, and technical specification changes.

FP&L intends to implement the uprate in the next few months.

The NRC previously published a notice about the power uprate application in the Federal Register. The agencys evaluation of the St. Lucie Unit 1 power uprate will be available through the NRCs ADAMS electronic document database by searching for accession number ML12181A019, using the Simple Search tab.

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