Press Release-09-175, NRC Approves Power Uprate for North Anna Nuclear Power Plant

Press Release-09-175: NRC Approves Power Uprate for North Anna Nuclear Power Plant

ML092950482
Person / Time
Site:	North Anna
Issue date:	10/22/2009
From:	Office of Public Affairs
To:
References
Press Release-09-175
Download: ML092950482 (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: http://www.nrc.gov No.09-175 October 22, 2009 NRC APPROVES POWER UPRATE FOR NORTH ANNA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved a request by Virginia Electric and Power Company (VEPCO) to increase the generating capacity of North Anna Power Station Units 1 and 2 by 1.6 percent.

The NRC staff determined that VEPCO could safely increase the reactors output primarily through more accurate means of measuring feedwater flow. NRC staff also reviewed VEPCOs evaluations showing the plants design can handle the increased power level.

The NRC's 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. For added confidence in the analysis, the NRC staff also conducted independent calculations and evaluations of selected areas.

The power uprate for North Anna Power Station, located approximately 40 miles northwest of Richmond, Va., will increase Unit 1s generating capacity from approximately 965 to 980 megawatts electric and Unit 2s generating capacity from approximately 965 to 973 megawatts electric. VEPCO intends to implement the uprate in July 2010.

The NRC previously published a notice about the power uprate application in the May 19 Federal Register (http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-11268.pdf) providing the public an opportunity to comment or request a hearing. The agencys evaluation of the North Anna power uprate will be available through the NRCs ADAMS electronic document database by entering ML092250616 on this Web page: http://adamswebsearch.nrc.gov/dologin.htm.

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 Web site.