Nuclear Power in Washington State

Kathleen M. Saul

November 4, 2010

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Electrical Generation vs. Bomb Production

The energy from the atom has been used for two different purposes: In atomic bombs/nuclear weapons,To generate electricity.

The focus today: Electrical Generation “Commercial Nuclear Power”

What is commercial nuclear power?

A fancy way to heat water and generate steam to drive a turbine and create electricity.Neutrons bombard the nucleus of a uranium-

235 atom, causing the release of other neutrons and a lot of heat. Those new neutrons go on to hit other uranium-235 nuclei in a self-sustaining reaction.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.atomicarchive.com/Fission/Images/fission.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.atomicarchive.com/Fission/Fission1.shtml&h=226&w=360&sz=14&tbnid=XEFCWoaQmiEDqM:&tbnh=76&tbnw=121&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dnuclear%2Bfission&zoom=1&q=nuclear+fission&hl=en&usg=__eyB7wOps77bQhy1t3HfJrxhghEo=&sa=X&ei=oKDRTMO7LJL6sAORxdmmCw&ved=0CDcQ9QEwBA

Uranium 235

Barium

Krypton

Radioactive Iodine

Strontium

Cesium

Xenon

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_H2CekjGxczE/Ssnuf_dC4LI/AAAAAAAAADU/Eqd72h797jI/s400/nuclear%2Bpower%2Bplants.GIF&imgrefurl=http://ezonal.blogspot.com/2009/09/nuclear-power-station.html&h=340&w=392&sz=16&tbnid=CfvujsxBUV17aM:&tbnh=107&tbnw=123&prev=/images%3Fq%3DNuclear%2BPower&zoom=1&q=Nuclear+Power&usg=__ue1SY7xFpiUTgkhfq4EmjNya1nU=&sa=X&ei=qJ3RTKWAAoKisAPNuNmnCw&ved=0CFcQ9QEwCg

Key Dates in the History of the U.S. Commercial Nuclear Industry

Timeline – 1940s1940

1941

1942

1943

1944

1945

1946

1947

1948

1949

The first sustained nuclear reaction took place in Chicago, under the direction of Enrico Fermi

Atomic Energy Act creates the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and Joint Committee on Atomic Energy

Timeline – 1950s1950

1951

1952

1953

1954

1955

1956

1957

1958

1959

President Eisenhower presented "Atoms for Peace" speech

Price-Anderson Nuclear Industries Indemnity Act enacted into law

Atomic Energy Act passed by Congress

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) established under United Nations

Timeline – 1960s

1960

1961

1962

1963

1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

1969 Oyster Creek, Nine Mile Point 1 came on line

Dresden 1 came on line, the first privately financed nuclear power plant in the U.S.

Timeline – 1970s

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

Dresden 2, Ginna, Point Beach 1 came on line

HG Robinson, Monticello, Dresden 3, Palisades came on line

Point Beach 2, Vermont Yankee, Pilgrim 1, Turkey Point 3, Surry 1 on lineQuad Cities 1 & 2, Surry 2, Oconee 1, Turkey Point 4, Prairie Island 1 on lineKewaunee, Fort Calhoun 1, Cooper, Peach Bottom 2 & 3, Browns Ferry 1, Indian Point 2, TMI 1, Oconee 2 & 3, Arkansas 1, Prairie Island 2 on lineDuane Arnold 1, Browns Ferry 2, Calvert Cliffs 1, Fitzpatrick, Donald Cook 1, Brunswick 2, Millstone 2, Hatch 1 came on line

Indian Point 3, Beaver Valley 1 on line

Browns Ferry 3, Crystal River 3, Brunswick 1, Calvert Cliffs 2, Salem 1 came on line

North Anna 1, Donald Cook 2, David Besse 1 came on line

Hatch 2 on lineAccident at Three Mile Island

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) signed into lawFederal Clean Air Act of 1970 took effect; EPA establishedEPA announced national air quality standards

Middle East Oil Embargo

Energy Reorganization Act abolished the AEC and established the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) established

Timeline – 1980s1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

Fuel rupture in reactor at Saint-Laurent, France

Arkansas 2, North Anna 2 on line

Sequoyah 1, Farley 2, Salem 2, McGuire 1 came on line

Sequoyah 2 on line

Susquehanna 1, San Onofre 2 came on lineSummer 1, LaSalle 1 & 2, McGuire 2, San Onofre 3, Columbia Generating Station, Callaway 1 came on line

Diablo Canyon 1, Catabwa 1, Grand Gulf 1, Wolf Creek, Byron 1, Waterford 3, Susquehanna 2 on line

Palo Verde 1 & 2, Limerick 1, Diablo Canyon 2, Millstone 3, River Bend 1, Catabwa 2, Hope Creek 1 on line

Shearon Harris 1, Vogtle 1, Byron 2, Beaver Valley 2, Perry1, Clinton 1 came on linePalo Verde 3, Fermi 2, Nine Mile Point 2, Braidwood 1 & 2, South Texas Project 1 on lineVogtle 2, South Texas Project 2 on line

National Academy for Nuclear Training established at INPOMeltdown at Chernobyl, Ukraine

NRC begins program of reactor design standardization

World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) formed

Timeline – 1990s1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

Limerick 2, Comanche Peak 1, Seabrook 1 came on line

Comanche Peak 2 on line

Watts Bar 1 came on line

Nuclear Energy Institute formed

Accident at fuel preparation plant, Tokai-mura, Japan

Deregulation of electric industry allowed by the Energy Act of 1992

Kyoto Protocol ratified

Revision of rules and requirements for applying for licenses to build and operate nuclear power plants in the U.S

Timeline – 2000s2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

NuStart Energy Development LLC formed

Nuclear Power 2010 program unveiled

Repeal of the Public Utility Holding Act of 1935 took effect

2001 National Energy Policy published

Energy Policy Act of 2005 passed

COLAs received for Calvert Cliffs 3, South Texas Project 3 & 4, Bellefonte 3 & 4, North Anna 3, William States Lee 1 & 2

Congress passed a $18.5 billion loan guarantee program for the nuclear industry

COLAs received for Shearon Harris 2 & 3, Grand Gulf 3, Summer 2 & 3, Vogtle 3 & 4, Callaway 2, Levy Co. 1 & 2, Victoria Co. TX 1 & 2, Fermi 3, Comanche Peak 3 & 4, River Bend 3, Nine Mile Point 3, Bell Bend 1

Commercial Nuclear Power in Washington State

http://www.scripophily.net/wapuposusybo.html

The History of The Washington Public Power Supply System

(WPPSS) 1957: WPPSS organized to allow publicly

owned utilities to combine resources and build power generation facilities.

1968: The Joint Power Planning Council set forth its outline for the Thermal-Hydro Power Program, including 20 new thermal plants by 1980.

1971: WPPSS made plans to construct and operate a commercial nuclear plant on the Hanford site (Plant 2).Utilities would share the costs and benefits.

1972: WPPSS proposed a second plant near Hanford (Plant 1) and one at Satsop (Plant 3). Costs to be covered through the sale of the

power generated. 1973: The IRS decreed the type of financing

used for Plants 1, 2, and 3 would no longer be tax exempt.

1973: WPPSS announced plans for Plant 4 near Hanford and Plant 5 at Satsop.Based on forecasts of continuing growth

in electrical demand, WPPSS enticed utilities to buy shares of the projects.

Sample Scenario:

Demand vs Capacity

0.050.0

100.0150.0200.0250.0300.0350.0400.0

Year

kW

Demand

Built Capacity

1981: Revised demand forecasts call into question the need for Plants 4 and 5.

1982: WPPSS terminated work on 4 and 5.Partner utilities were still on the hook for the

costs. Ratepayers sued, saying the agreements utilities had entered into were not legal. Courts sided with the ratepayers.

1983: WPPSS defaulted on the bonds it had issued to cover the costs of plants 4 and 5: $2.25 billion.

1983: WPPSS mothballed Plants 1 and 3. 1984: Plant 2, Columbia Generating

Station, began producing power.

Challenges Faced by WPPSS Overambitious forecasts, primarily based on

Bonneville numbers. Inexperience with nuclear management and

construction.Quality control issues.

Design changes as construction progressed. Changes in safety standards. Increased costs and interest rates. Environmental backlash against nuclear power.

http://www.efsec.wa.gov/GRAPHICS/Project%20location%20map.pdf

WPPSS Sites

WPPSS Unfinished Plant 5 near Satsop, WA, 2000

Courtesy Grays Harbor Community Development Corp.

The Hanford Site and Columbia Generating Station

Columbia Generating Station

WPPSS Plant 2 (Columbia Generating Station)

Courtesy Energy Northwest

Columbia Generating Station Today

Capacity: 1150 MW of electricity. Emissions avoided (vs fossil fuel plants):

9,750 tons of sulfur dioxide.11,900 tons of nitrogen oxide.7,960,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide.

27 casks of spent fuel/by-products stored on site.

http://www.energy-northwest.com/generation/cgs/

Electricity Generation in WA

Natural Gas

Coal

Nuclear

Hydro

Other

7.5%

Based on: http://www.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=WA

References

Too many to list.See me.