Apr 23, 2001
PPL's Susquehanna Unit 2 Returns to Service Following Planned Refueling and Maintenance Outage
PRNewswire
BERWICK, Pa., April 23 /PRNewswire Interactive News Release/ -- PPL's Unit 2 reactor at the Susquehanna nuclear power plant near Berwick, Pa., returned to service today (4/23) following the unit's 10th planned refueling and inspection outage. The outage began on March 10.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19981015/PHTH025 )
While Unit 2 was down, refueling teams replaced about 40 percent of the unit's uranium fuel. This partial replenishment of fuel will enable Unit 2 to operate continuously for 24 months before its next refueling, according to Herbert D. Woodeshick, special assistant to the president for Susquehanna.
These planned biennial outages are crucial to the operating cycle of the plant, not only to refuel, but also to perform systematic preventive maintenance and make upgrades to plant equipment. "Good outage performance leads to good equipment reliability, and good equipment reliability will continue the safe operation of the plant," Woodeshick said.
Outage teams completed about 2,500 work items, including replacing 300 fuel bundles; upgrading the feedwater system for greater efficiency; replacing about 12 percent of the control rods used to manage reactivity; conducting 2,500 visual inspections of piping and core components; overhauling two large motors; and performing maintenance on main steam isolation valves.
Since its last refueling and inspection outage two years ago, Unit 2 has generated about 17.1 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity. A kilowatt-hour is enough electricity to power a 100-watt light bulb for 10 hours. An average PPL residential customer uses about 10,000 kilowatt-hours a year.
The Susquehanna plant, located in Luzerne County about five miles north of Berwick, is owned jointly by PPL Susquehanna, LLC and Allegheny Electric Cooperative Inc. and is operated by PPL Susquehanna.
NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19981015/PHTH025
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SOURCE: PPL Corporation
Website: http://www.pplweb.com/
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