Millstone Nuclear Power Plant
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| Millstone Nuclear Power Plant | |
| Data | |
|---|---|
| Location | Waterford, CT |
| Operator | Dominion |
| Start of commercial operation | Unit 2: December 26, 1975 Unit 3: April 23, 1986 |
| Reactors | |
| Reactor supplier | Unit 2: Combustion Engineering Unit 3:Westinghouse |
| Reactor type | PWR |
| Power | |
| Capacity | Unit 2: 882 MW Unit 3: 1,155 MW |
| Total power generation in 2007 | Unit 2: 7,686 GWh Unit 3: 8,699 GWh |
| Average annual generation (last 5 yrs) | Unit 1: 6,935 GWh Unit 2: 9,295 GWh |
| Status | Operating |
| Other details | |
| Architect | Unit 2: Bechtel Unit 3: Stone & Webster |
| Cost | Unit 2: $424 million Unit 3: $3.77 billion |
| License expires | Unit 2: July 31, 2035 Unit 3: November 25, 2045 |
| NRC region | 1 |
| Website Millstone |
|
The Millstone Nuclear Power Station is the only nuclear power generation site in Connecticut. It is located at a former quarry (from which it takes its name) in Waterford. Of the three reactors built here, units two and three are still operating at a combined output rating of 2020 MWe.
Contents |
[edit] Background
The Millstone site covers about 500 acres (2 km²). The power generation complex was built by a consortium of utilities, using Niantic Bay (which is connected to the Long Island Sound and Atlantic Ocean) as a source of coolant water.
Although located in Waterford, Millstone is most clearly seen from downtown Niantic. It is visible from the Niantic Boardwalk area and from the Niantic River Bridge, and to anyone who travels on Amtrak through the area, as the train line goes right along the Niantic Bay and past the plant.
The Millstone site was placed on the NRC Watchlist in 1996, when it was revealed that employees who had raised nuclear safety issues had been retaliated against by members of plant management [1]. All three reactors remained shut down for over one year until both technical and safety culture issues were addressed.
Since these "dark ages" Millstone has regained its status by earning OSHA's top award for workplace safety in October 14, 2004 (http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/summary_0199-4218735_ITM), and earned the Top Industry Practice/ Framatone ANP Vendor Award for its work developing novel ultrasonic leak inspection techniques in March 2001 (http://www.ans.org/pubs/magazines/nn/docs/2003-10-2.pdf)
Millstone Units 2 and 3, both pressurized water reactors (one from Westinghouse and one from Combustion Engineering), were sold to Dominion by Northeast Utilities in 2000 and continue to operate.
On 28 November 2005, after a 22-month application and evaluation process, Millstone was granted a 20-year license extension to both units 2 and 3 by the NRC.[2]
[edit] Licensing History & Milestones
[edit] Unit 1
Millstone 1 was a General Electric boiling water reactor, producing 660 MWe, shut down in November 1995 before being permanently closed in July 1998.
- Construction Permit Issued: May 19, 1966
- Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR) Filed: November 1, 1968
- Provisional Operating License Issued: October 7, 1970
- Full Term Operating License Issued: October 31, 1986
- Full Power License: October 7, 1970
- Initial Criticality: October 26, 1970
- Synchronized to the Grid: November 1970
- Commercial Operation: December 28, 1970
- 100% Power: January 6, 1971
- Permanently Ceased Operations: July 21, 1998
[edit] Unit 2
Millstone 2 is a Combustion Engineering plant built in the 1970s, and has a maximum power output of 2700 MWth (870 MWe). It has 2 steam generators, and 4 reactor cooling pumps (RCP). It is currently undergoing an upgrade to its safe shutdown system which already met NRC standards. During its refueling outage in October 2006, the operator installed a new pressurizer.
- Construction Permit Issued: December 11, 1970
- Final Safety Analysis Report (FSAR) Filed: August 15, 1972
- Full Term Operating Licensing Issued: September 26, 1975
- Full Power License: September 26, 1975
- Initial Criticality: October 17, 1975
- Commercial Operation: December 26, 1975
- 100% Power: March 20, 1976
- “Stretch Power”: June 25, 1979
- Operating License Extension Requested: December 22, 1986
- Operating License Extension Issued: January 12, 1988
- Full Term Operating License Expires: December 11, 2010
- Operating License Expires: July 31, 2015
- Extended Operating License Expires: July 31, 2035
[edit] Unit 3
Millstone 3 is a Westinghouse plant that started operating in 1986, and has a maximum power output of 3411 MWth (1150 MWe).
- Construction Permit Issued: August 9, 1974
- Initial Criticality: January 23, 1986
- Commercial Operation: April 23, 1986
- Operating License Expires: November 25, 2025
- Extended Operating License Expires: November 25, 2045
[edit] References
- ^ Nuclear Warriors by Eric Pooley
- ^ NRC Renews Millstone Nuclear Power Station Operating Licenses For An Additional 20 Years
[edit] External links
- Millstone Nuclear Power Plant is at coordinates Coordinates:
