A huge power uprate of 149MWe at unit 2 of Florida Power & Light’s St Lucie nuclear power plant has been approved by the US nuclear regulator. It is part of a $3 billion project to boost nuclear output that will save USD 3.8B fossil fuel costs.
FP&L applied to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in February 2011 to raise the thermal output of St Lucie 2 from 2070MWt to 3020MWt. This translates into a 17% increase in power output from the pressurized water reactor, from some 853MWe to 1002MWe.
The NRC determined that FP&L could safely increase the reactor’s power output primarily by carrying out significant upgrades to several plant systems and components, including the steam and power conversion system and the condensate and feedwater system. As part of its evaluation, the NRC reviewed the company’s analysis showing the plant’s design can accomodate the increased power level.