Cook Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 to go back online
In September of 2008, Unit 1 was damaged and has been off line ever since. The damaged turbine generator system has been repaired and has begun testing to verify that it is indeed safe to go back online.
American Electrical Power, one of the largest electric utilities in the US, operates the Cook Nuclear Power Plant. “The 1,030-megawatt unit has been out of service since September 2008 when turbine vibrations, caused by broken low-pressure turbine blades, damaged the turbine generator, support structures and associated systems.”
The repaired system will only be able to generate the same amount of power as before. The repaired unit is missing the last row of low-pressure turbine blades. Because of the reduced number of blades, Unit 1 will be generating about 70 megawatts less per year than it was prior to the accident.
The unit will be connected to the transmission grid for on and off line testing and monitoring for the next several days. Hopefully, the unit will pass with flying colors and will be back online soon.
Further repairs to the generator system will occur in the Fall of 2011 when a new set of low-pressure turbine blades is fitted into the system. Once the new blades complete the final repair to the system, the unit will be back at full power.
Unfortunately, America’s nuclear power plants are aging. As they get older, the possibility of breakdowns increases. Plans for newer nuclear power plants have never made it to the building stage although with the problems Europe is having with new nuclear power plants, that could be a good thing.
Plans for refurbishing older nuclear plants seem to be making more headway than building new ones. Three Mile Island and Chernobyl are reminders of the dangers of nuclear accidents. Whether new plants will be built is anyone’s guess. For now, Cook Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 will be able to continue to produce energy.
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