Nuclear Plant Journal, July-August 2016 NuclearPlantJournal.com
11
Utility,
Industry &
Corporation
Utility
Best of the Best
NextEra Energy, Inc.
announced
that its nuclear energy fleet, including
Florida Power & Light Company's
St.
Lucie and Turkey Point nuclear power
plants, received the Nuclear Energy
Institute's 2016 top innovation award
for pioneering a unique program that
significantly improves plant performance.
The Nuclear Energy Institute's
B. Ralph Sylvia "Best of the Best" Top
Innovative Practice Award recognized the
NextEra Energy nuclear fleet's Continuous
Improvement Program, which standardizes
effective processes, centralizes key
functions and implements important
efficiencies to improve the performance
across all of NextEra Energy's nuclear
plants. This prestigious award, which
recognizes the best of the best within the
nuclear industry, marks the first time the
company has earned such an honor.
Contact: Florida Power & Light
Company, telephone: (561) 694-4442,
email:
.
Watts Bar 2
Licensed reactor operators at
Tennessee Valley Authority’s
Watts Bar
Unit 2 project reached a major milestone
at 2:16 a.m. EDT, Monday, May 23,
2016, when the unit’s reactor achieved its
first sustained nuclear fission reaction.
Also known as achieving “initial
criticality,” Unit 2 is now generating heat
under its own power and will soon be
producing safe, carbon-free electricity as
the nation’s first new nuclear unit in the
21st century.
The reactor is now operating in a
stable condition at low power levels.
Power levels will be slowly increased
as part of scheduled power ascension
testing and the unit will begin producing
electricity that will flow onto TVA’s
transmission system.
Contact: Gail Rymer, Tennessee
Valley Authority, telephone: (865) 632-
2911, email:
.
Industry
Advanced Nuclear
Technology
The
U.S. Department of Energy
(DOE) announced over $82 million in
nuclear energy research, facility access,
crosscutting technology development,
and infrastructure awards in 28 states.
In total, 93 projects were selected to
receive funding that will help push
innovative nuclear technologies toward
commercialization and into the market.
These awards provide funding for
nuclear energy-related research through
the Nuclear Energy University Program,
Nuclear Science User Facilities, and
Nuclear Energy Enabling Technology
programs. In addition to financial support,
a number of recipients will receive
technical and regulatory assistance
through the Gateway for Accelerated
Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) initiative.
DOE is awarding nearly $36
million through its Nuclear Energy
University Program (NEUP) to support
49 university-led nuclear energy
research and development projects in
24 states. NEUP seeks to maintain U.S.
leadership in nuclear research across
the country by providing top science
and engineering students and faculty
members opportunities to develop
innovative technologies and solutions for
civil nuclear capabilities.
Additionally, 15 universities will
receive nearly $6 million for research
reactor and infrastructure improvements –
providing important safety- performance-
and student education-related upgrades
to a portion of the nation’s 25 university
research reactors as well as enhancing
university
research
and
training
infrastructure.
Money has also been appropriated
for additional projects.
Contact: U.S. Department of Energy,
telephone: (202) 586-4940.
Corporation
Digital Control System
AREVA NP
recently completed the
installation of a digital control rod drive
control system (DCRDCS) at the Davis-
Besse Nuclear Power Station in Oak
Harbor, Ohio. This advanced system,
which manages the control rods in a
nuclear reactor, improves reliability and
simplifies maintenance.
The DCRDCS precisely positions
control rods in a reactor’s core to regulate
power generation. The control logic in this
modern digital system has triple module
redundancy and includes multiple power
supplies to reliably operate each control
rod.
Contact: Curtis Roberts, AREVA,
Manufacturing Engineer
BIRNS, Inc
., an ISO 9001:2008
certified designer and manufacturer of
unique lines of high performance lights,
connectors, penetrators and custom cable
assemblies, has announced the hire of
Xin Lian as Manufacturing Engineer.
As part of BIRNS’ expanding
Engineering
and
Production
Departments, Lian will be responsible
for writing detailed work instructions,
operation procedures, and job travelers
for all BIRNS production operations.
Reporting to the Production Manager, the
role will include collaboration with the
company’s Manufacturing, Engineering
and Quality leadership to plan, direct
and streamline production. Prior to
joining the team at BIRNS, Lian served
as Manufacturing Quality Engineer for
Quan Yun Company, China and Quality
Control Project Manager for Fei Cui
Yuan, China. She holds both Masters of
Science and Bachelors of Science degrees
in Engineering Management.
Contact: Amy Brown, BIRNS, Inc.,
telephone: (805) 830-5876, email:
.
Digital Technologies
Dassault
Systèmes
,
the
3DEXPERIENCE
Company,
who
specializes in 3D design software, 3D
Digital Mock Up and Product Lifecycle
Management (PLM) solutions, and
Assystem, the European engineering
company, announced that they have
extended their collaboration to the nuclear
engineering sector. This collaboration
aims to improve the management and
industrial performance of complex
engineering projects by using digital
technologies.
