Commission approves a request by Constellation Energy to increase the generating capacity
– By Linton Levy –
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved a request by Constellation Energy to increase the generating capacity of the Calvert Cliffs Unit 1 and 2 nuclear reactors by 1.4 percent each.
The NRC staff determined that Constellation could safely increase the reactor’s output primarily through more accurate means of measuring feedwater flow. NRC staff also reviewed Constellation’s evaluations showing the plant’s design can handle the increased power level.
The NRC's safety evaluation of the plant’s proposed power uprate focused on several areas, including the nuclear steam supply systems, instrumentation and control systems, electrical systems, accident evaluations, radiological consequences, operations and training, testing, and technical specification changes. For added confidence in the analysis, the NRC staff also conducted independent calculations and evaluations of other selected areas.
The power uprate for Calvert Cliffs, located about 40 miles south of Annapolis, Md., will increase Unit 1’s generating capacity from approximately 895 to 905 megawatts electric and Unit 2’s generating capacity from approximately 885 to 895 megawatts electric. Constellation intends to implement the uprate by the end of this year for Unit No. 2 and during the summer of 2010 for Unit No. 1.
The NRC previously published a notice about the power uprate application in the Federal Register providing the public an opportunity to comment or request a hearing. No requests were submitted. The agency’s evaluation of the Calvert Cliffs uprate is available through the NRC’s ADAMS electronic document database by entering ML091820366 on this Web page: http://adamswebsearch.nrc.gov/dologin.htm.