6 Comments

  1. Rod, to be fair, the AP1000’s Design Certification Document Revision 15 was certified in January 2006, Westinghouse has since submitted Revisions 16 (on 5/26/2007), 17 (on 9/22/2008), 18 (on 12/1/2010) and 19 (on 6/13/2011). The ongoing review is driven by these updates to the design. This should not be surprising, several utilities have announced plans to build the AP1000, so the design needed to be revised to suit their needs or to accommodate the latest technology. The ABWR, which got Design Certification in 1997 is also subject to an DCD amendment review.

  2. Just to add – GE-Hitachi has expressed an intent to re-enter the GDA process with the ESBWR; Mike Weightman has assured themt hat there will be sufficient resource to start the process in about a year’s time.

    For those that might be interested, here’s a link to the HSE’s overview of the process.

    http://www.hse.gov.uk/newreactors/background.htm

    1. Andy,

      Any insight into GE-H’s recent proposal to the UK regarding utilizing the S-PRISM/IFR to make use of some of “your” (the UK’s) substantial excess plutonium?

      The only place I’ve seen it mentioned was in a recent Monbiot article from the Guardian.

  3. Re: “make use of some of “your” (the UK’s) substantial excess plutonium?”

    It’s a damn shame that the U.S. had to purchase plutonium from Russia to power its spacecraft!

    Rod: I was browsing the National Geographic site and astonished and appalled to see how scant mentions of nuclear power there are — all ominously wary — but they’re tripping all over themselves espousing solar and wind and even tides. And this magazine/TV program is a Bible for many schools. Is there any feature where we can compliment media outlets and journalists who have given nuclear power a fair shake?

    James Greenidge
    Queens NT

    1. The UK didn’t make separated Pu 238 which ‘fuels’ an RTG. However the Russians did. That is why it was purchased from them and not the UK.
      Cheers

      1. The UK does not, nor ever has had a reactor that made Plutonium-238. Pu 238 is not a by-product of nuclear power reactors, but is fabricated by a very different process.

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