US nukes win OK to hike output; profits could rise

["Sandy Perle" <sandyfl@earthlink.net>]

US nukes win OK to hike output; profits could rise

WASHINGTON, May 9 (Reuters) - Nuclear plant owners in the United 
States can expect to see significant additional profits after the 
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on Tuesday agreed to revise 
a 26-year-old rule to allow power levels to edge up by 1 percent. 

"Licensees gaining NRC approval for small increases in licensed power 
levels on the basis of the amended rule could realize significant 
economic benefits," the NRC said. 

Nuclear plants in the United States last year provided about 97,070 
megawatts (MW) of power, or 14.1 percent, of the nation's total power 
generation. 

NRC said its rule change, which reflects improvements in technology, 
offers licensees additional operating flexibility, including the 
opportunity to increase licensed power in some cases.  

Under the old regulations, most plant owners had to analyze emergency 
core cooling system capabilities assuming that the reactor was 
operating at 102 percent power if a loss-of-coolant accident took 
place. 

The requirement, which has been in place since 1974, was intended to 
provide an additional safety margin to assure adequate emergency 
cooling. 

NRC said it was necessary to do so because of uncertainties in the 
accuracy of reactor power measurement. 

But recently, nuclear utilities have sought credit from the agency 
for new and improved measurement tools that are now available, 
eliminating the need for the 2 percent margin. 

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Sandy Perle					Tel:(714) 545-0100 / (800) 548-5100   				    	
Director, Technical				Extension 2306 				     	
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Personal Website:  http://www.geocities.com/capecanaveral/1205
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