|
Harris Plant
Why was the Harris site chosen as the location for possible future nuclear expansion?
When choosing a prospective site for a new reactor, three considerations are essential: the availability of land, water and transmission capacity. The Harris Nuclear Plant has all three. If pursued, the second reactor would be built on an existing plant site where significant infrastructure is already in place. We can capitalize on well-trained personnel at the site, and an emergency plan that has already been established and drilled for years.
 To Top
How long has Harris been in operation and how long can it run?
The Harris Nuclear Plant began commercial operation in 1987. Progress Energy has more than 30 years of experience in operating nuclear power plants, with its first nuclear plant (the Robinson Plant near Hartsville, S.C.) coming online in 1971. U.S. nuclear plants are licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to operate for 40 years. The Harris Plant is licensed until 2026. Progress Energy has applied to the NRC for a license extension to allow operation of the Harris Plant for an additional 20 years, until 2046.
To Top
What is the cloud we see coming out of the Harris cooling tower?
What you see coming out of the cooling tower at Harris is water vapor. The water vapor is used in cooling plant components only; it is not part of the radioactive process. The Harris cooling tower is a hollow structure in which water is cooled, releasing its heat through water evaporating into the air. About 500,000 gallons of water per minute is circulated between the cooling tower basin and the condenser. The tower is 526 feet tall.
To Top
Will you have to build another cooling tower with the new unit?
The Harris cooling tower was designed to function for a one-unit plant. Cooling towers would need to be constructed to accommodate the additional units. Since there are numerous cooling tower designs, a second structure might not be identical to the existing tower.
To Top
Would new units be built close to the existing unit?
Yes, they would be located near the existing Harris Plant reactor. The Harris Plant site was originally designed for four nuclear reactors, so there is plenty of land available to locate and construct a new facility on the site.
To Top
Would the existing unit be shut down?
No. The existing Harris unit will continue to operate to meet customer demand for electricity. The plant's current license runs through 2026, and Progress Energy has applied to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to extend the operating license until 2046.
To Top
How many people currently work at the plant, and would the plant increase its workforce if a second reactor unit is built?
The Harris Plant has 450 employees and an additional 200 contractors working onsite. Many of our highly trained and experienced current employees would be part of the team that would start up a new facility and, since a new unit would essentially be built as a separate plant, additional employees would be hired to operate and maintain the new plant.
To Top
What is the projected economic impact of additional reactors at Harris?
Based on an economic impact study conducted by Ed Erickson and Associates, the economic impact of the construction phase is substantial. The average additional annual impacts during the licensing and construction phases are projected to be roughly:
Once the new facility is fully operational, it is estimated that the combined Harris facility will generate annually:
* NOTE: This study only reflects the addition of one reactor.
To Top
If you have two reactors at Harris, will you have to distribute twice as much Potassium Iodide (KI)?
No. Potassium iodide (KI) is provided to residents of the 10-mile area around the Harris Plant by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services and distributed by local county health departments. KI blocks the absorption of radiation by the thyroid. In the unlikely event of a release of radiation, local residents might be instructed to take KI pills. KI pills come in 130-milligram tablets, a dosage determined by the Food and Drug Administration. Visit the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services site for more information.
To Top
Will evacuation routes need to be widened around the Harris Plant if additional reactors are built?
If new reactors are built near the existing reactor, all three sites could use the same 10-mile emergency planning zone (EPZ) and evacuation routes. With three reactors in close proximity, the Harris site would operate much as other plant sites with multiple reactors, including Progress Energy's two-unit Brunswick Plant, near Southport, N.C.
To Top
What would happen if there were an emergency or radiation release at Harris?
Emergency preparedness is a high priority for Progress Energy and the Harris Plant. A team of employees at the plant focuses on emergency planning year-round and works closely with state and local officials to ensure our plans are current and realistic. Employees at the Harris Plant conduct extensive drills four times each year. We also test the 83 sirens in the 10-mile area around the plant at full volume annually, at low volume every three months, and in silent mode every two weeks. In the unlikely event of an emergency, the Harris Plant personnel are well prepared to respond quickly and effectively.
To Top
Are employees exposed to radiation?
A very small number of employees at the plant actually ever work in areas where they would be exposed to small doses of radiation. These employees are rigorously trained to keep their exposure to a minimum by thoroughly planning all work, wearing protective clothing and using monitoring devices at all times. Progress Energy closely monitors radiation exposure to all nuclear plant employees to ensure that any exposure is within strict company and federal safety guidelines.
To Top
Is the spent fuel at Harris stored safely?
Yes. Spent nuclear fuel is housed in the plant's Fuel Handling Building. This building was constructed with the same safety features as the building that houses the nuclear reactor. It protects the fuel with 4 ½-foot-thick walls made of nine layers of steel-reinforced concrete. The building was designed to withstand earthquakes, tornadoes and hurricanes, and is protected by a highly trained and heavily armed security force.
To Top
Can I visit or tour the plant?
After Sept. 11, 2001, access to the plant by non-employees has been significantly restricted. The Harris Plant operates a Resource Center outside the secured area and individuals are welcome to schedule visits by calling (919) 362.3261 or e-mailing us at harris.plant@pgnmail.com. Progress Energy employees are also available to make presentations at schools and other organizations in the area. Call (919) 362.3261 to request more information. In addition, Progress Energy holds an annual open-house at the Energy & Environmental Center for the public to learn more about how the plant works.
To Top
For what reasons would Progress Energy decide not to build a second reactor at the Harris Plant?
The company will know more once it completes its two-year evaluation of energy-efficiency programs to evaluate their effectiveness and participation rates to determine their viability in reducing electricity demand further. Additional reductions in future electricity demand growth through energy efficiency could push the need for new power plants farther into the future.
Also, decisions on building power plants, electric transmission lines and other large pieces of the electric system infrastructure are based on growth projections, cost assumptions, the best available information on technology, need forecasts and other data. Changes in those projections and assumptions, or unforeseen legal or regulatory changes, could alter plans. Progress Energy is committed to meeting customer demand, now and in the future, as reliably and efficiently as possible. That means plans for the future need to be as flexible as possible.
|
