Westinghouse nuclear reactor design faces obstacles at NRC
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) rejected a Westinghouse-Toshiba nuclear reactor design because of concerns with its shield building.
The shield building protects the reactor from severe events including tornadoes and earthquakes. In a report issued last Thursday, the NRC stated that Westinghouse “has not demonstrated that certain structural components of the revised AP1000 shield building can withstand design basis loads.” The AP1000 is the leading design among reactors in the U.S.
The NRC is seeking modifications and new testing to demonstrate the shield’s performance and safety.
In a press release, Westinghouse has stated that it is addressing the NRC’s issues and is still on schedule for regulatory approval in 20111 with building to start in 2016.
Photo: NRC file photo
Further reading
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/news/2009/09-173.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/16/science/earth/16nuke.html
http://www.westinghousenuclear.com/
KJC
