More boiling water reactors for Texas
NRG Energy, a part owner of a two unit nuclear power station in south Texas, recently announced that they were going to add two new reactors designed by a partnership between GE and Hitachi to the site, which is located in Matagorda County, Texas.
NRG Energy has decided on the ABWR design, which produces about 1350 MW of electrical power. This 2,700 MW addition to its generating fleet is part of a new construction plan that includes 10,500 MW of new capacity. The company detailed its plans with a press release titled NRG Announces Comprehensive Repowering Initiative.
The ABWR has already received its design certification from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. There are two operating reactors in Japan and four more units under construction (two in Japan and two in Taiwan.) Though GE has a newer design called the ESBWR that it recently submitted to the NRC for certification, NRG has opted for a design that should lead to a shorter, more predictable construction schedule. There is significant value in using the experience that has been gained in previous construction projects and applying it to a new project using the same design.
