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Swiss nuclear power and the case for long-term operation
Designed for 40 years but built to last far longer, Switzerland’s nuclear power plants have all entered long-term operation. Yet age alone says little about safety or performance. Through continuous upgrades, strict regulatory oversight, and extensive aging management, the country’s reactors are being prepared for decades of continued operation, in line with international practice.
John K. Wheeler, Alexander Sesonske
Nuclear Technology | Volume 75 | Number 1 | October 1986 | Pages 113-115
Technical Note | Nuclear Safety | doi.org/10.13182/NT86-A15982
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
ORIGEN2 was used to develop a data base of pressurized water reactor isotopic concentrations at various times after discharge with core burnup, specific power, enrichment, and neutron spectrum as variables. Results were analyzed to determine source term sensitivity to core management. Fuel rod power history was found to have an important effect on the source term. Activity and decay power are almost linear with specific power for the first month of cooling, but not sensitive to the other parameters. Longer term isotopic sensitivities are described but are not important to the source term. Long-term decay power is primarily dependent on burnup, which is also a function of exposure history.