16 Jun (NucNet): Westinghouse has submitted a revision document to US nuclear regulators that resolves “all known open items” pending a final safety evaluation report of the company’s AP1000 reactor design.
The design control document revision 19 (DCD Rev.19) was submitted to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on 13 June 2011 and includes necessary changes to address NRC comments, Westinghouse said.
“The submittal of DCD Rev.19, along with updated shield building and containment vessel technical reports, provides resolution of all known NRC open confirmatory items associated with the pending final safety evaluation report needed for final rule making,” Westinghouse said.
The AP1000 is a 1,100 megawatt electric pressurised water reactor that includes passive safety features that would cool down the reactor after an accident without the need for human intervention.
Last February, the NRC called for public comments on a proposed rule that would amend Westinghouse’s certified AP1000 reactor design for use in the US. Westinghouse submitted an application for certification of the original AP1000 standard plant design in March 2002 and in January 2006 the NRC issued a rule certifying that design.
But in May 2007, Westinghouse submitted an application to amend the AP1000. At the time Westinghouse said its amendment to the original 2006 certification sought to revise the design’s steam generators; resolve several issues that would otherwise be left to combined construction and operating licence (COL) applicants; and address the NRC’s proposed rule on aircraft impact assessments.
The NRC conducted an extensive technical evaluation of the design and issued a final safety evaluation report (FSER) in December 2010.
The FSER provides the basis for the design certification now under consideration.
The NRC is reviewing six COL applications that reference the amended AP1000 design. Utility companies have chosen the AP1000 for up to seven proposed nuclear plants in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Details of the latest submission are on the company’s website: www.westinghousenuclear.com
>>Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers)
US Regulators To Review Proposed AP1000 Design Amendment (News No. 6, 23 January 2008)
US Regulators Raise AP1000 Shield Building Issue With Westinghouse (World Nuclear Review No. 42, 16 October 2009)
NRC Calls For Comments On Revised AP1000 Design (World Nuclear Review No. 6, 11 February 2011)
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