Vogtle Unit 3 begins nuclear fuel load

[carolinarider09]

A major step in the right direction for many reasons.  What we need is another 10 or 20.

Plant Vogtle, Waynesboro, Georgia

Nuclear operators and technicians are now moving fuel into Plant Vogtle Unit 3 as the nuclear generating unit moves closer to entering service.

During fuel load, technicians and operators from Westinghouse and Southern Nuclear are scheduled to transfer 157 fuel assemblies one-by-one from the Unit 3 spent fuel pool to the unit’s reactor core.

Startup testing will begin next and is designed to demonstrate operation of the primary coolant system and steam supply system at design temperature and pressure. Operators will also bring the plant from cold shutdown to initial criticality, synchronize the unit to the electric grid and systematically raise power to 100%. Southern Nuclear will operate the new unit.

The fuel load process marks a milestone toward startup and commercial operation. Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4, representing 2,200 MW, are the first to be built in the U.S. in more than three decades.

Actually the whole startup and testing process is sort of fun.  After this, you just get to stand/sit and watch the board for 18 months at 100% power and then shutdown, reload fuel, do some maintenance, and then startup and repeat. 

https://www.power-eng.com/news/vogtle-unit-3-reaches-significant-milestone-begins-fuel-load/

https://www.georgiapower.com/company/plant-vogtle.html

[Jersey mike]

Why would they be taking rods out of a spent fuel pool? Is this where rods are placed for safe keeping or might these rods have been still useable and not completely spent?

Sounds like it would be an interesting time to be on site.

[carolinarider09]

To get the new fuel into the reactor building you have to use the spent fuel transfer system that is tied into the, of course, the spent fuel pool and the reactor buildings fuel pool (I forget the proper name)

The spent fuel pool does serve two purposes, storing spent fuel until it can be stored elsewhere (now days on site in special containers) and temporarily storing new fuel. 

The new fuel use to come in a container that housed two fuel assemblies.  Being new fuel, not much radiation, you could put your hands on the rods when they were raised to put it into the spent fuel pool. 

The use to come on a standard tractor trailer truck. 

Lift the container to main floor of the spent fuel pool.  Open the container, use a crane to life and put the fuel assembly into the new fuel elevator (just a thing on the side of the pool).  Lower it down and then bring the Fuel Handling Bridge over lift and put where you want.  Oh, its all down with fuel assembly under water.  The bridge is not.  And the new fuel transfer tube to the Reactor Building is under water as well.  Its a pretty slick operation.  No pun intended.

[John Schmidt]

Reminds me of something my bro-in-law said once, he was on the Nautilus during his time in the Navy. Told me the standard joke was you could tell which guys were working on the system cuz they didn't have to turn the light on at night to take a leak. Same thing a friend's dad once told me after he had some "buds" placed in his bladder due to cancer. Told me everything glowed in the dark so he didn't have to turn the light on when hitting the head at 2:00am, said his wife really appreciated that. Also a former nuke sub crewman so apparently knew the old joke. 

[carolinarider09]

I have not heard those "stories".    I was trying to think of any "glows" we would see in nuclear and if I remember properly when you take a fresh spent fuel assembly from the Reactor and transfer it to the spent fuel pool, after several assemblies get there, there is/was a slight glow in the water around the assemblies. 

[John Schmidt]

It was an exaggeration by both men, just a play on that fact they served on nuke subs. My BIL has long gone to his reward, would be about 83 now if he had lived. Never married and lived a rather wild life which caught up to him about 10 years ago.