FPL gets PSC approval for uprates

[South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 10 December] Florida Power & Light's (FPL's) plan to uprate its four existing reactors (two pressurized water reactors each at Turkey Point and St Lucie) has been approved by the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC). The move will add 414 MWe of generating capacity. The engineering upgrades needed to increase the power output of the units will be conducted during scheduled refuelling outages by 2012. The reactor upgrades are estimated to cost some $1.5 billion, while providing long-term savings to customers of $221 million to $963 million, according to FPL. The uprates are part of FPL's larger nuclear program, which includes the construction of two additional reactors at Turkey Point. Under the plan, FPL will generate some 30% of its electricity from nuclear energy by 2020, compared with the current 20%. The company applied to the PSC on 17 August for permission to uprate the reactors. The uprate project must now be approved by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). FPL's proposal for new reactors at Turkey Point will be considered by the PSC in January.