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Conference Spotlight
2025 ANS Winter Conference & Expo
November 9–12, 2025
Washington, DC|Washington Hilton
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Fusion Science and Technology
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Optimizing nuclear plant outages: Data analytics tools and methods for enhancing resilience and efficiency
Nuclear power plant refueling outages are among the most complex phases in a plant’s operational cycle.1 During these outages, tens of thousands of activities, including maintenance and surveillance, are conducted simultaneously within a short timeframe. Typically lasting three to four weeks, these operations involve large crews of contractors with diverse skill sets performing tasks ranging from testing and surveillance to maintenance. Outages may extend longer if major backfitting or modernization projects are planned. Consequently, plant outages are expensive, incurring significant operational costs, such as contractor labor and equipment, as well as the loss of generation while the plant is off line. This can easily cost a plant operator more than $1 million a day. Therefore, there is a constant need to mitigate the economic impact on plants by reducing the frequency, duration, and risks associated with these outages.2,3
Huguet M, Author No. 1, Bertolini E, Author No. 2,
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 10 | Number 3 | November 1986 | Pages 1386-1397
Machine Upgrades and Next-Generation Device | doi.org/10.13182/FST86-A24923
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
One of the main objectives of the JET experiment is to reach near ignition conditions using deuterium-tritium mixtures so that significant heating of the plasma by alpha particles is achieved. This objective is reflected in the JET development plan which aims at one or two years of active operation and a few thousand deuterium-tritium shots. This approach, where it is believed that a sustained active operation period is necessary for a meaningful study of alpha particle heating, has had considerable design and cost implications on the whole project. The paper first reviews the impact of the active phase on the general design concepts and detailed design of the machine. Buildings, auxilliary systems, power supplies and diagnostics have also been strongly influenced by requirements resulting from the activation of the machine or the use of tritium. The paper reviews also the development programme which is being pursued vigorously in the areas of remote handling and tritium recycling, in readiness for the active phase. An evaluation of the cost of all facilities implemented for the active phase in relation to the overall project cost is also presented.
