Abstract :
TheWestinghouseAP1000ProgramisaimedatmakingavailableanuclearpowerplantthatiseconomicalintheUSderegulatedelectricalpowerindustryinthenear-term.TheAP1000isatwo-loop1000MWepressurizerwaterreactor(PWR).ItisanupratedversionoftheAP600.Passivesafetysystemsareusedtoprovidesignificantandmeasurableimprovementsinplantsimplification,safety,reliability,investmentprotectionandplantcosts.TheAP1000usesproventechnology,whichbuildsonover35yearsofoperatingPWRexperience.TheAP1000receivedFinalDesignApprovalfromtheUnitedStatesNuclearRegulatoryCommissioninSeptember2004;theAP1000hasalsoreceivedDesignCertificationbytheUSNRCinDecember2005.TheAP1000anditspredecessorAP600aretheonlynuclearreactordesignsusingpassivesafetytechnologylicensedanywhereintheworld.ThesafetyperformanceofAP1000hasbeenverifiedbyextensivetesting,safetyanalysisandprobabilisticsafetyassessment.AP1000safetymarginsarelargeandthepotentialforaccidentscenariosthatcouldjeopardizepublicsafetyisextremelylow.
SimplicityisakeytechnicalconceptbehindtheAP1000.ItmakestheAP1000easierandlessexpensivetobuild,operate,andmaintain.Simplificationalsoprovidesahedgeagainstregulatorydrivenoperationsandmaintenancecostsbyeliminatingequipmentsubjecttoregulation.TheAP1000ʹsgreatlysimplifieddesigncomplieswithNRCregulatoryandsafetyrequirementsandtheEPRIadvancedlightwaterreactor(ALWR)utilityrequirementsdocument.
PlansarebeingdevelopedforimplementationoftheAP1000plant.KeyfactorsinthisplanningaretheeconomicsofAP1000inthede-regulatedUSelectricitymarket,andtheassociatedbusinessmodelforlicensing,constructingandoperatingthesenewplants.
