Nuclear capacity preservation

The development of any new technology quickly results in ''Lessons Learned'' that are extremely valuable to the industry. The initial phase of the BWR Pilot Plant Study for Life Extension is nearly complete. We are now at a good point to convey what we have learned about organizing Plant Life Extension activities, and provide utilities with a road map for planning similar efforts. The BWR Pilot Plant Study for Plant Life Extension was initiated in February 1985. The initial phase of the program will be essentially complete in 1986. The project is co-funded by the Electric Power Research Institute, and the U.S. Department of Energy. Using the method discussed in this paper, utilities have the option and an outline to manage a plant-unique life extension assessment in-house, enabling them to directly control the project and ensure that the objectives are realistic, useful, and achieved. The authors have given this methodology the name ''Nuclear Capacity Preservation'' to indicate that potential life extension starts long before license expiration, and that benefits can be realized at operating plants through improved preservation while providing for future license extension