Increase of power to 110%

The continuous search for improved profitability of nuclear power plants has led a large number of plants to undertake Power Uprate (PU) projects, either in the modality of increases based on fewer measurement uncertainties (increases of around 1.4% to 1.7%) or of increases of expanded power (op to 5% and/or extended power (of more than 5%). At present, more than one hundred American and European plants have completed power uprates ranging from 1% of Original Thermal Power (OTP) to values of 20% OTP. Another fifty plants around the world are in the process of executing or plant to execute uprates in the next four years. Confrentes NPP has been one of the plants that has most decisively undertaken Power Uprates projects,s in the last fifteen years it has completed three successive uprates; it licensed 102% in 1988, 104.2% in 1998 and 110% OTP (1081 MWe) in 2002. The CSN is currently evaluating the license proposal for the Flow Adjustment Power Uprate-APAC (1096 MWe)-based on reduced uncertainty in the feedwater flow measurement for calculating the generated thermal power. This article describes the process followed in Cofrentes NPP for the Extended Power Uprate to 110% OTP. It describes everything from the methodology used, analyses performed, required modifications, resources employed and licensing process, to the most significant results obtained during the project. (Author)