Availability improvement of large nuclear power stations with generator circuit-breaker for short-circuit currents up to 300 kA

The present paper investigates how the use of a generator circuit-breaker can help improve the protection and increase the availability as well as the profitability of the largest nuclear power stations. A simulation of the behavior of a nuclear power station has been carried out with the help of the sequential Monte Carlo method. The analysis provides important insights in the optimization of power station layouts, evaluating the possibility of applying different power station topologies. A comparison between different generator circuit-breakers extinguishing technologies is also provided.