Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant Explained

Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant
Coordinates:32.2983°N -97.785°W
Country:United States
Location:Somervell County, near Glen Rose, Texas
Status:O
Construction Began:December 19, 1974
Commissioned:Unit 1: August 13, 1990
Unit 2: August 3, 1993
Owner:Luminant
Operator:Luminant Generation Company LLC
Np Reactor Type:PWR
Np Reactor Supplier:Westinghouse
Ps Cooling Source:Squaw Creek Reservoir
Ps Units Operational:1 × 1218 MW
1 × 1207 MW
Ps Units Manu Model:WH 4-loop (DRYAMB)
Ps Units Planned:2 × 1700 MW
Ps Thermal Capacity:2 × 3612 MWth
Ps Electrical Capacity:2425
Ps Electrical Cap Fac:95.1% (2018)
88.40% (lifetime)
Ps Annual Generation:19,356 GWh (2021)

Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant is located in Somervell County, Texas. The nuclear power plant is located 40miles southwest of Ft. Worth and about 60miles southwest of Dallas. It relies on nearby Comanche Creek Reservoir for cooling water. The plant has about 1,300 employees and is operated by Luminant Generation, a subsidiary of Vistra Corp.

The Engineer of Record is Gibbs & Hill, Inc. of New York, New York.

Construction of the two Westinghouse pressurized water reactors began in 1974. Unit 1, originally rated at 1,084 MWe, came online on April 17, 1990. Its current, 40-year operating license is valid until February 8, 2030. Unit 2, 1,124 MWe, followed on April 6, 1993 and is licensed to operate until February 2, 2033 when it has to renew its license. Of the nuclear plants to begin construction prior to 1979, Unit 2 was among the last power reactors to come online in the United States, followed only by Units 1 and 2 at Watts Bar. Vogtle Units 3 & 4 were brought online in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

In June 2008, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved a request to increase the generating capacity of Units 1 and 2 by approximately 4.5% each. Luminant Generation Co. implemented the changes during refueling outages. Unit 1 was uprated in autumn 2008 with a capacity increase of approximately 1,210 to 1,259 MWe and Unit 2, the capacity of which rose from an estimated 1,208 to 1,245 MWe, was uprated in autumn 2009.[1]

Proposed units 3 and 4

On September 19, 2008, Luminant filed an application with the NRC for a Combined Construction and Operating License (COL) for two new reactors.[2] The reactor design selected is the US version of the 1,700 MWe Advanced Pressurized Water Reactor (US-APWR), developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI). The project is a joint venture, with Luminant owning 88 percent and 12 percent owned by MHI.[3] Luminant did not release an estimate of the project's cost, but CEO David Campbell said Luminant would try to build its new reactors at the low end of current industry estimates, which he said range from $2,500 to $6,000 a kilowatt — $8.5 billion to $20.4 billion for a 3,400 MW plant.[4]

Some environmental and anti-nuclear organizations and individuals opposed the plant expansion, citing environmental, public safety and cost concerns. These included the Sustainable Energy and Economic Development Coalition, Public Citizen and state representative Lon Burnam.[5]

, expansion had been suspended due a natural gas boom dramatically lowering power prices in Texas, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries suspending development of its reactor design to focus on restarting its reactors in Japan. The Texas power generation company did not withdraw its application to the NRC entirely, leaving open the possibility that it might eventually expand.[6] [7]

Electricity Production

Comanche Peak generated 19,687 GWh in 2022.

Generation (MWh) of Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant[8] !Year!Jan!Feb!Mar!Apr!May!Jun!Jul!Aug!Sep!Oct!Nov!Dec!Annual (Total)
20011,658,9891,512,2591,438,872974,9141,670,2691,601,7681,597,7271,313,1151,599,0851,667,8051,614,2991,673,16318,322,265
20021,677,2591,516,2671,626,072793,7291,467,8931,554,5841,627,4111,637,0571,514,897838,125955,4661,359,64216,568,402
20031,704,2061,539,3891,495,1091,643,0551,156,1761,623,9081,185,8931,654,5021,620,510943,7621,608,6091,573,82417,748,943
20041,703,4261,593,9311,574,855822,9091,546,9681,654,3751,699,2861,702,3371,649,9101,714,8011,668,6151,731,99219,063,405
20051,731,0921,510,0721,570,916860,0841,725,9041,677,8331,722,3161,723,0751,671,5021,076,3891,415,1961,758,82118,443,200
20061,756,2671,588,0821,758,4171,692,3141,747,5561,681,8851,730,1751,730,6681,678,5751,081,6621,692,4151,757,99319,896,009
20071,752,3261,445,856875,7771,083,4621,741,0741,676,9511,723,6911,719,2111,667,6471,734,0261,690,9071,734,81918,845,747
20081,750,6391,553,7381,619,6421,123,2611,738,8801,674,3031,722,3281,720,8971,554,9641,260,9431,726,0171,789,00919,234,621
20091,790,0461,616,7821,785,7531,729,0791,671,0721,712,5241,759,3411,761,5861,712,4661,079,8171,699,5981,823,40520,141,469
20101,551,0181,644,6601,816,7451,010,2641,808,9511,707,4491,788,5001,780,3181,733,1041,794,2451,755,3261,817,88720,208,467
20111,767,2171,641,0211,797,420999,6441,657,8291,726,5641,488,5271,730,5791,737,5801,164,2441,752,1511,819,78519,282,561
20121,820,1241,703,2041,814,3641,615,4681,805,6101,737,7931,788,3661,787,3431,699,9521,055,0121,250,6561,819,03219,896,924
20131,821,0671,642,4791,767,1741,111,4071,812,0291,742,4541,753,8291,787,7191,731,6121,806,9261,687,7671,822,67720,487,140
20141,688,4831,635,2631,742,010947,7571,812,7161,744,5541,793,5301,791,0971,737,669993,239930,2971,819,16118,635,776
20151,821,7181,644,0821,816,9081,752,6251,791,6491,694,3671,790,5551,785,1841,733,435963,8941,340,6701,819,03719,954,124
20161,818,9231,701,4881,801,3941,750,570905,2321,717,5081,788,9991,787,6851,740,7471,802,4861,752,4291,817,68120,385,142
20171,831,6661,651,4411,791,628910,0671,605,288952,824905,5191,439,0951,629,1641,095,4681,381,9451,805,82016,999,925
20181,817,6741,640,4801,821,5391,764,7111,808,8601,741,5121,777,7371,729,2341,724,6991,798,5871,752,2751,120,79920,498,107
20191,239,4841,635,6921,742,7751,343,660980,8491,735,1241,779,9491,773,8391,719,8841,795,7301,750,6311,807,09319,304,710
20201,730,7361,693,1161,799,6751,405,3551,420,5871,725,4991,774,4201,771,9671,723,6891,139,4931,489,7851,805,62619,479,948
20211,807,6551,633,2891,769,1161,716,4901,793,8891,368,5011,734,8771,768,6401,714,437962,6021,284,6781,802,07919,356,253
20221,805,1391,631,7471,786,5081,132,8441,282,3681,721,1811,763,9981,765,9421,479,2501,774,8151,740,8401,802,43819,687,070
20231,803,1601,630,1231,793,4311,512,237965,3957,704,346

Surrounding population

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission defines two emergency planning zones around nuclear power plants: a plume exposure pathway zone with a radius of, concerned primarily with exposure to, and inhalation of, airborne radioactive contamination, and an ingestion pathway zone of about, concerned primarily with ingestion of food and liquid contaminated by radioactivity.[9]

The 2010 U.S. population within of Comanche Peak was 30,653, an increase of 44.1 percent in a decade, according to an analysis of U.S. Census data for msnbc.com. The 2010 U.S. population within was 1,755,528, an increase of 22.9 percent since 2000. Cities within 50 miles include Fort Worth (41 miles to city center).[10]

Seismic risk

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission's estimate of the risk each year of an earthquake intense enough to cause core damage to the reactor at Comanche Peak was 1 in 250,000, according to an NRC study published in August 2010.[11] [12]

Reactor data

The Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant consists of two operational reactors, two additional units are planned.

Reactor unit[13] Reactor typeCapacity(MW)Construction startedElectricity grid connectionCommercial operationShutdown
NetGross
Comanche Peak-1Westinghouse 4-loop1209125919.12.197424.04.199013.08.1990
Comanche Peak-21197125019.12.197409.04.199303.08.1993
Comanche Peak-3 (planned)[14] US-APWR1700?
Comanche Peak-4 (planned)[15]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Comanche Peak to increase output . 2008-06-30 . World Nuclear News . 2008-09-19 .
  2. Web site: Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant, Units 3 and 4 Application . 2008-09-19 . U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) . 2008-09-19 .
  3. News: Luminant seeks permission to expand nuclear power plant . 2008-09-19 . . 2008-09-19 .
  4. News: Luminant seeks new reactor, 3rd Texas filing . O'Grady . Eileen . 2008-09-19 . . 2008-09-19 .
  5. http://www.star-telegram.com/business/story/1424379.html Hearing today involves opponents to new reactors at Comanche Peak
  6. http://www.dallasnews.com/business/energy/20131108-expansion-of-comanche-peak-nuclear-power-plant-suspended.ece?nclick_check=1 Expansion of Comanche Peak nuclear power plant suspended
  7. News: Mitsubishi delays certification of APWR . World Nuclear News . 12 November 2013 . 15 November 2013.
  8. Web site: Electricity Data Browser . 2023-01-07 . www.eia.gov.
  9. Web site: NRC: Backgrounder on Emergency Preparedness for Nuclear Power Plants . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20061002131207/http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/emerg-plan-prep-nuc-power-bg.html . 2006-10-02 . 2013-12-13.
  10. Web site: 2011-04-14 . Nuclear neighbors: Population rises near US reactors . 2024-08-16 . NBC News . en.
  11. Web site: 2011-03-16 . What are the odds? US nuke plants ranked by quake risk . 2024-08-16 . NBC News . en.
  12. Web site: Archived copy . 2011-04-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170525170632/http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/Sections/NEWS/quake%20nrc%20risk%20estimates.pdf . 2017-05-25 . dead .
  13. http://www.iaea.org/programmes/a2/ Power Reactor Information System
  14. http://www.iaea.org/programmes/a2/ Power Reactor Information System
  15. http://www.iaea.org/programmes/a2/ Power Reactor Information System

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