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(Virgil C.) Summer Nuclear Station, South Carolina |
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Update: October 3, 2008
Next Update: October 2009 Summer Nuclear Power Station Net Generation and Capacity, 2007
Description: The Virgil C. Summer nuclear station occupies a site near Jenkinsville in Fairfield County, South Carolina. The site includes the decommissioned experimental CVTR unit. Monticello reservoir provides cooling water and feeds a pumped storage unit. In 2001, the Summer unit operated at 79.9 percent of capacity, producing 6.76 billion kilowatthours of electricity. Summer, Unit 1
Nuclear Steam System Supplier (NSSS Vendor) = Westinghouse Pressurized-Water Reactor (PWR) In a typical commercial pressurized light-water reactor (1) the reactor core generates heat, (2) pressurized-water in the primary coolant loop carries the heat to the steam generator, (3) inside the steam generator heat from the primary coolant loop vaporizes the water in a secondary loop producing steam, (4) the steam line directs the steam to the main turbine causing it to turn the turbine generator, which produces electricity. The unused steam is exhausted to the condenser where it is condensed into water. The resulting water is pumped out of the condenser with a series of pumps, reheated, and pumped back to the steam generator. The reactors core contains fuel assemblies which are cooled by water, which is force-circulated by electrically powered pumps. Emergency cooling water is supplied by other pumps, which can be powered by onsite diesel generators. Other safety systems, such as the containment cooling system, also need power.
Containment: The containment design for the PWR at Summer is dry, ambient pressure.1 _________________________________________ 1Dry, Ambient Pressure: a reactor containment design whose safety has been evaluated on the basis of having a dry air atmosphere at ambient pressure (0 psig) prior to the onset of a loss of coolant accident or steam pipe break. The containment design (concrete and steel tendons) must be able to take the full thermal and pressure stresses associated with the rapid energy release (steam) from a major pipe break. |
see also:
annual
nuclear statistics back to 1953
projected electricity capacity to 2030
international
electricity statistics