Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant

The Harris Nuclear Plant is a nuclear power plant with a single Westinghouse designed pressurized-water nuclear reactor operated by Duke Energy. It was named in honor of W. Shearon Harris, former president of Carolina Power & Light (predecessor of Progress Energy Inc.).[2] Located in New Hill, North Carolina, in the United States, about 20 miles (30 km) southwest of Raleigh, it generates 900 MWe, has a 523-foot (160 m) natural draft cooling tower, and uses Harris Lake for cooling. The reactor achieved criticality in January 1987 and began providing power commercially on May 2 of that year.

Harris Nuclear Plant
Shearon Harris Unit 1
Official nameHarris Nuclear Plant
CountryUnited States
LocationNew Hill, Wake County, North Carolina
Coordinates35°38.0′N 78°57.3′W
StatusOperational
Construction beganJanuary 28, 1978 (1978-01-28)
Commission dateMay 2, 1987
Construction cost$4.115 billion (2007 USD)[1]
Owner(s)Duke Energy
Operator(s)Duke Energy
Nuclear power station
Reactor typePWR
Reactor supplierWestinghouse
Cooling towers1 × Natural Draft
Cooling sourceHarris Lake
Thermal capacity1 × 2900 MWth
Power generation
Units operational1 × 928 MW
Make and modelWH 3-loop (DRYAMB)
Units cancelled3 × 900 MW
2 × 1117 MW AP1000
Nameplate capacity928 MW
Capacity factor101% (2017)
89.0% (lifetime)
Annual net output7986 GWh (2021)
External links
WebsiteHarris Nuclear Plant Fact Sheet
CommonsRelated media on Commons

The Shearon Harris site was originally designed for four reactors (and still has the space available for them), but only one was built. The final cost approached $3.9B, including safety upgrades mandated after the Three Mile Island accident.

On November 16, 2006, the operator applied to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for a renewal and extension of the plant's operating license.[3] The NRC granted the renewal on December 17, 2008, extending the license from forty years to sixty.[4]

Refurbished generator from Three Mile Island

On January 22, 2010, officials at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced the electrical generator from the damaged Unit 2 reactor at Three Mile Island would be used at Shearon Harris.[5] The generator was refurbished and installed during a refueling outage in November, 2010.

Units 2 & 3

On February 19, 2008 Progress filed an application with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for a Combined Construction and Operating License (COL). It seeks to build two 1,100 MWe Westinghouse AP1000 pressurized water reactors. Although the NRC had already certified the AP1000 design, the application review was expected to take about 36 months. The new reactors would not be operational before 2018.[6]

Expansion of the plant would require raising the water level of Harris Lake by 20 feet,[7] decreasing the size of Wake County's largest park, with the Cape Fear River as a backup water source.

On May 2, 2013, Duke submitted a request to the NRC to suspend review of the Harris Units 2 and 3 Combined License Application (COLA), effectively halting further development of this project.[8] Duke has determined the forecast operating dates of the proposed reactors falls outside the fifteen-year planning horizon utilized by state regulators in their demonstration of need evaluation. The COLA remains docketed, however, leaving the door open for Duke to restart activities.[9]

Electricity Production
Generation (MWh) of Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant[10]
Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Annual (Total)
2001 651,550 587,897 650,961 600,053 641,046 612,514 633,035 632,278 392,127 -7,612 -7,423 -17,930 5,368,496
2002 596,616 605,885 692,186 664,354 685,426 656,254 587,765 633,905 657,210 687,635 670,898 696,922 7,835,056
2003 697,798 628,360 692,040 550,040 200,220 585,862 675,487 566,282 586,953 690,227 668,416 695,419 7,237,104
2004 696,104 651,056 691,524 640,461 378,332 655,523 674,118 676,491 658,386 324,248 268,635 693,550 7,008,428
2005 691,938 627,883 693,146 663,595 577,180 654,438 670,675 671,369 652,216 669,072 664,739 694,577 7,930,828
2006 691,473 624,282 689,215 144,735 256,719 651,468 665,897 665,520 588,819 689,625 669,468 692,047 7,029,268
2007 691,771 626,054 685,273 660,878 678,022 648,431 666,547 661,605 600,239 137,065 667,641 679,524 7,403,050
2008 692,158 644,233 684,058 661,179 679,592 648,293 672,513 436,426 656,281 686,147 668,900 691,631 7,821,411
2009 693,809 624,890 688,165 342,241 441,456 659,020 680,311 678,090 657,569 689,492 551,057 697,061 7,403,161
2010 690,254 632,140 695,980 666,054 685,081 654,660 677,181 677,639 653,802 11,904 336,596 699,324 7,080,615
2011 695,889 622,800 697,118 668,969 685,747 657,595 676,763 678,847 661,806 693,847 675,050 697,696 8,112,127
2012 700,273 654,589 692,354 421,429 -7,575 461,809 691,734 698,837 681,896 711,705 692,239 715,075 7,114,365
2013 716,430 638,321 692,542 683,333 324,651 512,112 696,829 645,140 656,853 708,893 175,051 438,208 6,888,363
2014 606,998 645,639 714,360 684,365 535,765 670,317 696,617 698,502 678,978 709,000 692,342 715,692 8,048,575
2015 716,758 650,304 712,106 15,096 333,847 671,653 695,019 696,555 677,127 706,975 692,525 704,212 7,272,177
2016 716,122 673,699 712,660 687,985 706,362 676,975 695,043 696,569 672,401 136,077 416,053 723,105 7,513,051
2017 721,046 643,988 717,641 688,333 709,239 680,788 698,805 701,133 674,279 556,960 697,080 719,281 8,208,573
2018 593,388 643,338 715,370 128,815 459,520 701,420 724,583 723,583 701,214 733,607 721,164 741,912 7,587,914
2019 744,045 669,919 737,793 704,407 720,979 691,860 708,692 710,988 687,739 221,209 268,342 744,621 7,610,594
2020 743,483 694,486 677,007 716,207 735,529 621,287 716,872 649,871 702,747 732,024 715,179 570,901 8,275,593
2021 741,049 668,251 740,789 529,499 364,993 605,624 721,395 719,843 702,654 732,369 720,298 739,969 7,986,733
2022 745,709 670,409 739,405 671,858 725,765 699,163 716,382 647,562 0 0 5,616,253
2023

Reactor data

Simulations and training are run in this room, an exact duplicate of the control room of the operational reactor.

The Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant consists of one operational reactor. Three additional units were cancelled. Two additional reactors were planned and cancelled in 2013.[11]

Reactor unit[12] Reactor type Capacity(MW) Construction started Electricity grid connection Commercial operation Shutdown
Net Gross
Shearon Harris-1 Westinghouse 3-loop 900 960 28 January 1978 19 January 1987 2 May 1987
Shearon Harris-2[12] 1 January 1978 Cancelled construction on 1 December 1983
Shearon Harris-3[13] Cancelled construction on 1 December 1981
Shearon Harris-4[14]
Shearon Harris-2 (cancelled) AP1000 1117  ?
Shearon Harris-3 (cancelled)

Safety

Nuclear Regulatory Commission inspections

As of September 2017, the Harris plant is one of three out of the 99 plants in the country to have no Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) findings during the past 4 quarters of inspections.[15]

The NRC's risk estimate for an earthquake intense enough to cause core damage to the reactor at Shearon Harris was 1 in 434,783, according to an NRC study published in August 2010.[16][17]

Surrounding population

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission defines two emergency planning zones around nuclear power plants: a plume exposure pathway zone with a radius of 10 miles (16 km), concerned primarily with exposure to, and inhalation of, airborne radioactive contamination, and an ingestion pathway zone of about 50 miles (80 km), concerned primarily with ingestion of food and liquid contaminated by radioactivity.[18]

The 2010 U.S. population within 10 miles (16 km) of Shearon Harris was 96,401, an increase of 62.6 percent in a decade, according to an analysis of U.S. Census data for msnbc.com. The 2010 U.S. population within 50 miles (80 km) was 2,562,573, an increase of 26.0 percent since 2000. Cities within 50 miles include Raleigh (21 miles to city center), Durham (24 miles to city center), and Fayetteville (39 miles to city center).[19]

During FEMA's most recent evaluation of state and local government's plans and preparedness included emergency operations for the plant, no deficiencies or areas requiring corrective actions were identified.[20]

NC-WARN concerns

The anti-nuclear group "N.C. Waste Awareness and Reduction Network" (NC-WARN) questioned the facility's safety and security record calling it "insufficient" and claiming "it is the most dangerous nuclear plant in the US".[21][22] However, the plant's technical and security systems have passed all Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) standards[23] as of 2008, including protection and security, and no worker or area resident has been injured as a result of the plant's operation.

Spent fuel pools

In 2010, Project Censored, a non-profit, investigative journalism project, ranked the safety issues at Shearon Harris the 4th most under-reported story of the year, because of the risk of fires at what are the largest spent-fuel pools in the country.[24]

In August 2007, NC WARN dropped a lawsuit against Progress Energy that was intended to delay or prevent expansion of Shearon Harris, claiming that continuing the legal battle would cost at least $200,000.[25]

Shutdown

On May 16, 2013, Shearon Harris Unit 1 initiated an unplanned shutdown when reviews of ultrasonic data from a refueling outage in spring 2012 determined a 1/4" flaw was inside the 6"-thick Reactor Pressure Vessel Head. The flaw was near the nozzle for a control rod drive mechanism and attributed to primary water stress corrosion cracking, though no actual leakage was detected. Due to high radiation levels, the repairs required robotic aid.[26]

References
  1. "EIA - State Nuclear Profiles". www.eia.gov. Archived from the original on 18 November 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  2. "NC Business Hall of Fame – Shearon Harris". historync.org. Archived from the original on 2011-07-26. Retrieved 2011-05-04.
  3. "Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant – License Renewal Application". Operating Reactor Licensing. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). December 1, 2008. Archived from the original on 2009-01-18. Retrieved 2009-01-06.
  4. "Shearon Harris operating licence extended". World Nuclear News. December 18, 2008. Archived from the original on 2011-03-31. Retrieved 2009-01-06.
  5. "Three Mile Island generator moving to Shearon Harris". WRAL. 22 January 2010. Archived from the original on 2010-01-24. Retrieved 2010-01-22.
  6. "Submission for new nuclear at Harris". World Nuclear News. 19 February 2008. Archived from the original on 2012-02-19. Retrieved 2008-10-24.
  7. Murawski, John (2007-09-20). "Progress prepares for new reactors". Raleigh News & Observer. Retrieved 2007-10-18.
  8. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 2013-05-30.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. "Duke Energy suspends licensing for nuclear reactors near Raleigh". Charlotte Business Journal. 2 May 2013. Archived from the original on 7 May 2013. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
  10. "Electricity Data Browser". www.eia.gov. Retrieved 2023-01-08.
  11. "Duke Energy shelves plans for new reactors at Shearon Harris -- The News & Observer". NC WARN. 2013-05-02. Archived from the original on 2020-07-10. Retrieved 2020-07-07.
  12. "PRIS – Home". iaea.org. Archived from the original on 2012-02-11. Retrieved 2011-08-17.
  13. Power Reactor Information System Archived 2012-02-11 at the Wayback Machine of the IAEA: Nuclear Power Reactor Details – SHEARON HARRIS-3 Archived 2011-06-04 at the Wayback Machine
  14. Power Reactor Information System Archived 2012-02-11 at the Wayback Machine of the IAEA: Nuclear Power Reactor Details – SHEARON HARRIS-4 Archived 2011-06-04 at the Wayback Machine
  15. "Inspection Findings". NRC.gov. 2021-12-22. Archived from the original on 2021-10-30. Retrieved 2022-02-26.
  16. Bill Dedman, "What are the odds? US nuke plants ranked by quake risk," NBC News, March 17, 2011 http://www.nbcnews.com/id/42103936 Archived 2021-01-10 at the Wayback Machine Accessed April 19, 2011.
  17. Patrick Hiland (September 2, 2010). "Implications of Updated Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Estimates in Central and Eastern United States on Existing Plants" (PDF). Safety/Risk Assessment Panel for Generic Issue 199. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 November 2011. Retrieved 16 August 2011.
  18. "NRC: Backgrounder on Emergency Preparedness for Nuclear Power Plants". Archived from the original on 2006-10-02. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
  19. Bill Dedman, Nuclear neighbors: Population rises near US reactors, NBC News, April 14, 2011 http://www.nbcnews.com/id/42555888 Archived 2020-10-30 at the Wayback Machine Accessed May 1, 2011.
  20. "FEMA, Transmittal of Final Report for 11/29/2011, Shearon Harris Nuclear Plant Exercise" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-01-20. Retrieved 2022-02-26.
  21. "NC WARN » The Most Dangerous U.S. N-Plant? NRC's Dishonest Rating System – A Report by NC WARN". ncwarn.org. Archived from the original on 2022-02-26. Retrieved 2011-03-17.
  22. Sturgis, Sue (2006-03-29). "The Report is Bullshit". The Independent Weekly. Archived from the original on 2008-10-06. Retrieved 2007-10-18.
  23. "4Q/2014 Performance Summary – Harris 1". nrc.gov. Archived from the original on 2017-03-19. Retrieved 2017-06-25.
  24. "4. Nuclear Waste Pools in North Carolina". Project Censored. Archived from the original on 2010-07-25.
  25. Murawski, John (2007-08-21). "Nuclear license fight dropped". Raleigh News & Observer. Archived from the original on 2007-08-24. Retrieved 2007-10-18.
  26. Murawski, John (2013-05-16). "Shearon Harris nuclear power plant shutdown because of cracking". The News & Observer. Archived from the original on 7 June 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
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