Pandemic Threatens Planned Nuclear Refueling Outages in 2020
Unlike other types of power plants, when it comes to nukes, nuclear refueling outages are critical. According to the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), nuclear plants require a fresh batch of fuel every 18-24 months, a process that involves shutting down a plant for 2-4 weeks. Unfortunately, COVID-19 is likely to stall this process for nukes located in the US.
How COVID-19 Could Impact Planned Nuclear Refueling Outages
The main issue is that nuclear refueling outages are labor-intensive. In fact, a single nuclear plant will generally need to bring in several hundred workers for 1-2 months to accomplish the task. Additionally, these workers require ample supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE), the supply of which has been reduced due to the pandemic.
In 2020, 56 of the nation’s 58 nuclear sites are planning nuclear refueling outages. More than 50% of these sites are planning to refuel from Feb. to May, precisely the time when the virus is expected to peak. Click here for a list of all the nukes planning to refuel in 2020.
Because of the sheer number of nukes that need to execute this process, the US nuclear industry has asked President Trump for assurance that the needed PPE will be available. The president’s response is still pending as of the date of this writing. So, in the meantime, the NEI has issued the following recommendations to limit the risk:
- Directing employees who feel ill to stay at home
- Excluding workers that have recently been in countries where the virus has run rampant
- Screening all workers for symptoms
- Disinfecting all surfaces more frequently
- Closing cafeterias or other areas where workers may congregate
- Increasing the number of handwashing stations on-site
Will these measures be enough? Time will tell. I, for one, hope that they are, because the country needs nuclear power, and these planned nuclear fueling outages are a critical element of maintaining nuclear reliability.
