AP600 plant design - meeting industry needs

Government projections indicate that United States (US) energy demands in the 1990s will grow steadily, creating the need for approximately 117,000 to 322,000 MWe of new generating capacity by the year 2010. Although this growth in electricity demand continues to be strong, orders for new nuclear power plants have not kept pace, in part due to licensing delays, prohibitive construction costs, and public uncertainty about safety. However, with the increased concerns about the environmental and economic security risks involved with an excessive dependence on fossil fuels, there is a growing realization that nuclear power must play a major role in our energy future. In a joint effort to keep nuclear power as an attractive energy option, the Department of Energy (DOE) and Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) initiated an Advanced Light Water Reactor (ALWR) programme to develop the conceptual design for a new generation of smaller, safer, and more economical nuclear reactors. In response to this initiative, Westinghouse has designed the AP600, an advanced passive pressurized-water reactor (PWR) that meets the safety, operational, and financial criteria set by the government, industry, and public. This paper describes how this new generation of nuclear power plant design, which is based on proven technology, can meet near-term energy demands safely, reliably, and at a reasonable cost. (author)