The outage work comprised of modification of a number of control rod drive nozzles to ensure their structural integrity and continued safe and reliable plant operations. The unit is currently operating at 21% power. Full-power operations are expected in the next several days.
Apart from the modification of the nozzles, major work included exchanging 76 fuel assemblies, replacing underground cables and several valves, reinforcing welds on plant equipment and performing in-depth equipment inspections and testing.
Davis-Besse’s next planned outage is slated for fall of 2011 to install a new reactor head with nozzles made of materials less susceptible to primary stress corrosion cracking.
The new head has been manufactured by Areva that is expected to arrive at Davis-Besse in fall of 2010 where it will undergo a series of pre-service inspections.
Davis-Besse is part of FENOC, which also operates the Beaver Valley Power Station in Shippingport, Pennsylvania, and the Perry Nuclear Power Plant in Perry, Ohio.
