Limerick Nuclear Power Plant
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| Limerick Nuclear Power Plant | |
 Aerial photo of Limerick Power Plant
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| Data | |
|---|---|
| Location | Limerick Township, PA |
| Operator | Exelon |
| Built | 1974 - 1989 |
| Start of commercial operation | Unit 1: February 1, 1986 Unit 2: January 8, 1990 |
| Reactors | |
| Reactor supplier | General Electric |
| Reactor type | BWR-4 |
| Power | |
| Capacity | Unit 1: 1,134 MW Unit 2: 1,134 MW |
| Total power generation in 2007 | Unit 1: 9,994 GWh Unit 2: 9,059 GWh |
| Average annual generation (last 5 yrs) | Unit 1: 9,718 GWh Unit 2: 9,462 GWh |
| Status | Operating |
| Other details | |
| Architect | Bechtel |
| License expires | Unit 1: October 26, 2024 Unit 2: June 22, 2029 |
| NRC region | 1 |
| Website Limerick |
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The Limerick Generating Station in Pennsylvania is located next to the Schuylkill River in Limerick Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania northwest of Philadelphia. The facility has two General Electric boiling water reactor (BWR) units, cooled by natural draft cooling towers. These cooling towers emit enough water vapour when conditions are right to be seen for distances of over 50 miles.
Both units are capable of producing almost 1,200 megawatts of power, which combined would power over 2 million households. Exelon Corporation owns and operates this facility.
Exelon also owns and operates the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station located on the Susquehanna River south of Harrisburg. Exelon also owns Oyster Creek, Three Mile Island, LaSalle, Dresden, Byron, Braidwood, Quad Cities and Clinton stations.
Contents |
[edit] History
The site was chosen and plans to build the station were announced in 1969, by the Philadelphia Electric Company (now Exelon). Community protests and other delays pushed the start of construction by the Bechtel Power Corporation to June, 1974.
Limerick Unit 1 first attained criticality (began producing nuclear power, at limited capacity) on December 22, 1984 and was certified for commercial operation on February 1, 1986
Limerick Unit 2 attained criticality on August 1, 1989, and commercial operation began January 8, 1990.
U.S. President George W. Bush visted the Limerick Generating Station in May of 2006 to discuss Nuclear Power and its role in the Advanced Energy Initiative, which he announced at the 2006 State of the Union Address. He toured the facility, including a trip to the control room of the plant. [1]
[edit] Stanley Watras
The danger of radon exposure in dwellings was discovered in 1984 through Stanley Watras, an employee at the Limerick plant. Mr. Watras set off the radiation alarms (see Geiger counter) on his way into work for two weeks straight while authorities searched for the source of the contamination. They were shocked to find that the source was astonishingly high levels of radon in his basement and it was not related to the nuclear plant. The risks associated with living in his house were estimated to be equivalent to smoking 135 packs of cigarettes every day.[2]
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Limerick Nuclear Power Plant is at coordinates Coordinates:
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