ML19340A178

Submits Comments on Des Re Analysis of Load,Power Resources & Reserve Margin as Projected for 1972 Summer Peak Period

ML19340A178
Person / Time
Site:	Oconee
Issue date:	01/13/1972
From:	Phillips T FEDERAL POWER COMMISSION
To:	Rogers L US ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION (AEC)
References
NUDOCS 8001140768
Download: ML19340A178 (4)

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• FEDERAL POWER COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20426 IN REPL.Y REFER Tor

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V Mr. Lester Rogers (- g- --

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Director, Division of Radiological' {. ; ,[' 2 and Environmental Protection ., y U. S. Atomic Energy Commission Washington, D. C. 20545 y- @@ y i

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Dear Mr. Rogers:

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This is in response to your letter of December 13, 1971, requ the comments of the Federal Power Commission on the AEC Draft Detailed Statement on the Environmental Considerations Related to the Issuance of an Operating License to the Duke Power Company for the Oconee Nuclear Station, Unit No. 1.

By letter dated August 20, 1970, the Federal Power Commission transmitted comments to the AEC relative to the environmental statement on the Oconee Nuclear Power Plant, Units No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3. These comments are reflected in the AEC draft statement issued December 13, 1971, which correctly describes power system load growth patterns and related characteristics of the area. Therefore, the following comments are directed toward an analysis of the load, power resources, and reserve margin situation as it may obtain during the forthcoming 1972 summer peak period on the Applicant's system and the systems of the Virginia-Carolina Subregion of the Southeastern Electric Reliability Council which includes the Applicant. This is a most important time in the overall expected life of the generating unit (some 35 years) because it represents a significant part of the potential new capacity which is sorely needed to meet projected 1972 summer demands.

Because of delays encountered in meeting scheduled commercial cperation dates for several large new generating units, and if further delays transpire in the next five months, the concerned electric utility systems in this area may be faced with considerably less than their desired generating capacity reserve marg!ns with the consequent possible threat to the adequacy and reliability of bulk power supply during this period. All three of the Oconee units have suffered some delay. With particular regard to the subject Unit No. 1, very recent information indicates that the earliest operating date is now June 1972. Mechanical problems with a main reactor cooiant pump will make it impossible to meet the earlier expected initial operation date of March 1972. Earlier this unit was expected to have achieved criticality in December 1971. The Surry No. 1 nuclear unit (820 NR) of the Virginia Electric and Power 249

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2-Mr. Lester Rogers Company is also delayed and the Company hopes to have it in operation by ,

June 1972. The H. B. Robinson No. 2 unit (700 MR) suffered several months _of delay because of mechanical problems, but it is now operating.

Currently these-plants are all subject to a continuing evaluation of certain environmental aspects.

1972 Summer Peak Load Period Duke Virginia-Carolina Power Co. Subregion Without Oconee No. 1 3/

Net Capability - Megawatts 7,0932 / 22,237{f Load Responsibility - Megawatts 7,502 p 20,605--

Reserve Margin - Megawatts -409 1,632 Reserve Margin - Percent of Load Responsibility -5.5 7.9 With Oconee No. l'(886 NR)

Net Capability'- Megawatts 7,979 23,123hf Load Responsibility - Megawatts 7,5021/ 20,605-Reserve Margin - Megawatts 477 2,518 Reserve Margin - Percent of Load Responsibility 6.4 12.2 Percent of_ Reserve Represented by Oconee No. I 185.7 35.2 1/ System load.plus net of firm receipts and deliveries (7,516-14).

2/ December 31, 1970,' capability of 6,744 megawatts plus 1971 additions of Keowee (140 FW) and Buzzard's Roost (209 MR).

. 3/ _ Includes- Robinson No. 2 (700 NR), Surry No.1 (820 NR), Cliffside No. 5 (590 MR fossil), Sutton No. 3 (420 IW fossil).

4/ System load plus net of firm receipts and deliveries (20,980-375).

The~ foregoing tabulation indicates the importance of the timely and continued operation of the Oconee No. 1 unit to the adequacy and reliability of the concerned systems. The reserve margins are required to provide for loss of capacity due to forced outages of or scheduled maintenance of generating capacity, occurrence of loads higher than

- those forecast, operating margins required to fulfill obligations to

-participants lin the interconnected systems, and opersting margins to provide for flexibility'in the allocation of load to generating resources  ;

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Mr. Lester Rogers

because of abnormal bulk power system conditions. Also, the Appl'icant's installed hydroelectric. capacity,of approximately 1,000 megawatts included in its generating resources will at times be subject to less than full output under varying seasonal conditions. These considerations indicate that, if the forecast peak load is reached in the sumner of .1972, the Applicant must have all of_its generating resources, including Oconee No. 1, in operation if it is to satisfy its demand. Without the Oconee No. 1. unit in operation at the time of its peak demand, the Applicant

. is deficient by '409 megawatts in meeting its demand and must rely upon the resources of the other subregion members. In this event, and under similar peak load conditions throughout the subregion, the subregion's reserves are reduced .to 1,632 megawatts, or 7.9 percent of its load L

responsibility. Since this 1,632 megawatts includes not only the full operation of all now operatinE.8eneration resources including the Robinson No. 2 nuclear unit, but also the Surry No. I nuclear unit (820 MR), Cliffside No'. 5 fossil fired unit (590 MR), and the Sutton No. 3 fossil ' fired ' unit (420. MR) not yet in operation, it is reasonable to conclude that _ the timely operation of the Oconee No.1 unit will make' a ' substantial contribution to the adequacy and reliability of the affected systems.

Very truly yours, a

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'$ A. Phillips Chief, Bureau of Power 1 -

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