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The Primary Challenge

Schulz Electric™ was contacted by a nuclear power plant in the New England region that serves a community of over 2 million homes. After five years of service, a 1500 HP, 4 kV, 24-pole circulating water pump motor (measuring approximately 7’ wide, 8’ tall, and weighing several tons) needed refurbishing while the plant was still online. To add to their concern, the power plant is located close to the ocean. The aging motor was not only approaching the end of its serviceable life, but was highly susceptible to moisture intrusion and the salt-laden air, which can build up in air passages within the motor. These environmental conditions can lead to elevated operating temperatures and corrosion developing on the rotor, stator, and shaft components. These factors combined, placed the plant at an increased risk of downtime that could have potentially led to a significant loss of revenue if they were forced into a shutdown event.

Introduction

The nuclear energy industry is critical not only for meeting the world’s growing demand for electricity but also for advancing global decarbonization goals. As the sector evolves—through life extensions of existing plants, decommissioning, innovations like small modular reactors (SMRs) and microreactors, and new facility construction—the need for safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible maintenance and decommissioning continues to grow. Whether a plant is coming online, operating beyond its original design life, or entering decommissioning, cleanliness and operational integrity remain non-negotiable. That’s where dry ice blasting stands out—a powerful, safe cleaning method ideally suited for the high-stakes demands of nuclear environments.

Curtiss-Wright’s strength in nuclear qualified pressure and temperature products is supported by its recent acquisition of Weed Instrument Company, Inc., one of the original specialists in that field. A great example of our organization helping customers overcome the challenge of aging and obsolescence is our DTC3™ pressure transmitter, which was designed as a drop-in replacement for the almost ubiquitous but now discontinued Rosemount™ 1151.

Demand is increasing dramatically for carbon-free reliable power to support data center growth and ensure energy security. This creates a clear opportunity to accelerate new nuclear plant builds as well as optimize and extend plant life.

That’s where AI can help.

As the global energy landscape shifts towards safer, smaller, and more flexible nuclear power, Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and Gen. IV* technologies are at the forefront of innovation. These advanced designs pose new challenges in size, efficiency, and operating environment that traditional instrumentation and control solutions aren’t always designed to handle.

As the global energy landscape shifts toward safer, smaller, and more flexible nuclear power, Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and Generation IV technologies are at the forefront of innovation. These advanced designs pose new challenges in size, efficiency, and operating environment that traditional instrumentation and control solutions aren’t always designed to handle.

Studsvik AB has completed construction of the new inDRUM Demonstration Facility outside of Nykoping, Sweden. We can now demonstrate how the inDRUM technology will process a wide range of problematic and legacy wastes through the removal of all liquids, organics and other materials, resulting in a stable and reduced volume product that can be disposed of in a suitable repository.

Introduction

WMG’s FLTRSTOR™ system provides a proven, practical solution for the efficient handling, storage, and shipment of irradiated filters and velocity limiters (VLs) in support of nuclear plant operations. With successful implementations at many sites, the system is recognized for saving time, reducing personnel dose, and cutting overall waste handling costs. Our satisfied and returning FLTRSTOR™ customers include:

PacTec's Legacy of Engineering Excellence

For over 35 years, PacTec, Inc. has been at the forefront of innovation in waste packaging, continuing to develop new packaging solutions for Class 7 radioactive waste. From humble beginnings in Clinton, Louisiana, to a global presence in the nuclear industry, PacTec's commitment to innovation and excellence continues to drive the development of more efficient and cost-effective waste packaging solutions. Our in-house engineering, production, and testing capabilities—combined with over a century of collective expertise—ensure we can quickly design, test, and deliver groundbreaking solutions to meet the ever-evolving needs of nuclear waste packaging.

In the high-stakes world of power generation, ensuring continuous operation and reducing downtime are central priorities. With the increasing complexity of power generation systems, maintenance practices are evolving to meet these demands more efficiently. Understanding the roles of Predictive Maintenance (PdM), Preventive Maintenance (PM), and Reactive Maintenance (Run-to-Failure) is crucial for maintenance professionals in the energy sector to make informed decisions about equipment management and long-term operational strategy.

The primary culprits behind contamination in a nuclear facility are fission products resulting from nuclear reactions and activated corrosion products like rust and metal. While these radioactive materials remain within the reactor system, the risk of contamination is minimal. However, the reality of a complex network of pipes and valves introduces vulnerabilities, leading to potential leaks and spills. The necessity for periodic system openings, required for sampling and maintenance, further heightens the risk of contamination. Once outside the system, radioactive materials can disperse, jeopardizing other plant components, areas, and even personnel.

American DND is working with Oil Quick®, and Caterpillar (CAT®) Equipment to deploy Cutting-Edge Technologies and innovations as SAFER methods of performing radiological / nuclear decommissionings and demolitions (D&D) that substantially reduce hours at risk and protect both the workforce and the environment. The OilQuick® system along with CAT® Products and American DND’s proprietary THL Dust Suppression system are proven contributors to American DND’s Safety achievement of working over 750,000 man-hours with a ZERO OSHA Safety rating over the past 21 years while performing open-air radiological demolitions with radiological (alpha, beta, gamma), and environmental constituents at numerous sites across North America.

General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) is charting a path to advance SiGA^® silicon carbide (SiC) ceramic matrix composite cladding for nuclear fuel rods to provide enhanced safety, improved operational performance, and economics benefits for the existing Light Water Reactor (LWR) fleet as well as future advanced reactor systems.

Studsvik Scandpower (SSP) is the leading global provider of vendor-independent, state-of-the-art nuclear fuel management software and world-class engineering services. SSP offers a full suite of software product offerings, training, and engineering services, to support operating utilities, fuel vendors, safety authorities, and research organizations around the world.

Commercial nuclear technology in the West began with the design and construction of nuclear power plants (NPPs) from the late 1960s and reached its peak in the 1980s. Originally licensed to operate for 40 years by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, some plants face decommissioning at the end of their lifespans; many, however, are being granted 20+ year operating license extensions.

Real-time source-term monitoring supports decisions and investments

H3D, Inc.’s GammaTrend technology collects and displays continuous, real-time data showing the dynamics of the radiological source term in plant systems. GammaTrend provides minute-by-minute results, allowing for an improved understanding of how specific plant operations and water-chemistry changes impact radionuclide transport.

WHAT: A provider of packaging, logistics, material management & handling, and transportation services

WHERE: Moon Township, Pennsylvania

WEBSITE: www.iceservicegroup.com

The I.C.E. Service Group, Inc. (ICE) provides packaging, transloading, logistics, material management & handling, as well as transportation services to the industrial, construction and environmental markets.

As America’s energy demands continue to surge with the rapid expansion of data centers, advanced AI, and other cutting-edge technologies, the drive to uprate, reopen, relicense, and urgency to modernize existing nuclear plants has never been greater. Ensuring a clean, stable, and reliable power supply is essential for securing the Nation’s future, and Electrical Builders, Ind. (EBI) is at the forefront of this transformation.

Maintaining clean condenser tubes is vital for the reliable and efficient operation of power plants. Condenser tubes can accumulate a variety of deposits, ranging from soft organic materials to hardened mineral scales.

Fouling impacts condenser tubes in two significant ways: it reduces heat transfer efficiency and promotes under-deposit corrosion. Reduced heat transfer efficiency hampers steam condensation, leading to lower vacuum and less efficient steam turbine operation. The main types of fouling encountered include deposition or particulate, scaling or crystallization, microbiological fouling, debris or macrofouling, and corrosion.

For the Crystal River 3 accelerated decommissioning project, Orano Decommissioning Services (ODS) applied its patented Optimized Segmentation strategy to plan and execute the removal, packaging, off-site transportation, and disposal or onsite storage of all the reactor vessel and internals components in a total of only two Class A industrial type large containers, one Class C Type B large container, and two GTCC Rad Waste Canisters (excluding the head and the secondary waste).