Steam generator landmark for Summer

The first steam generator has been lifted into place at the VC Summer nuclear power plant under construction in South Carolina. It is the first such component to be installed at a Westinghouse AP1000 plant in the USA.

The first steam generator has been lifted into place at the VC Summer nuclear power plant under construction in South Carolina. It is the first such component to be installed at a Westinghouse AP1000 plant in the USA.

Summer 2's first steam generator is lifted into place (Image: SCE&G)

The 1.5 million pound (680 tonne) steam generator was lifted into place at Summer unit 2 by one of the world's largest cranes. The unit requires two of the components, which have a diameter of about 6 metres and are more than 24 metres long. Steam generators transfer heat from the reactor to convert water into steam.

The steam generator was supplied by Doosan of Korea and shipped via the Port of Charleston, completing its journey by rail on a carriage specially designed to transport heavy, oversized loads.

South Carolina Electric & Gas (SCE&G) and co-owner Santee Cooper are building two AP1000s at Summer. Westinghouse is the contractor for the project, and Fluor is the construction manager. Construction began on both units in 2013, with unit 2 expected to start up in 2019 and unit 3 in 2020. A single pressurized water reactor unit is already in operation at the site.

Two AP1000 units are also under construction at Vogtle in Waynesboro, Georgia and two each at Sanmen and Haiyang in China. All four Chinese units are scheduled to be in operation by the end of this year.

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News