Following equipment and system upgrades completed during the recent scheduled refuelling and maintenance outage, unit 1 at PPL Corporation’s Susquehanna nuclear power plant in Luzerne County, is now the largest boiling water reactor in terms of thermal power and generating capacity in the United States, according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
“PPL continues to invest in the future of the Susquehanna nuclear power plant with upgrades that increase the amount of electricity the plant can safely generate,” said Jeff Helsel, Susquehanna plant manager.
When operating at 100% power, Susquehanna 1 has a capacity of 3952MWt and about 1300MWe.
PPL owns 90% of the electricity generated by the Susquehanna plant. Allegheny Electric Cooperative owns the remaining 10%.
Workers completed a number of equipment upgrades during the recent outage that enable unit 1 to produce more steam and generate more electricity, including the installation of a new integrated digital control system for plant equipment and replacing turbines that power pumps that provide water to the reactor vessel.
The completion of upgrades during this year’s outage continues a four-year project begun in 2008 to increase the amount of electricity the Susquehanna nuclear plant can safely and reliably generate. That project is expected to conclude in 2011 after further upgrades to unit 2 are completed.
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