EPRI Research Featured in INPO Journal
Two articles from The Nuclear Professional discuss EPRI research activities on corrosion and generator maintenance.

The Nuclear Professional, a publication distributed by the Institute for Nuclear Power Operations, featured two EPRI research activities in its most recent issue.

The first article, “Checking in with the CHECWORKS Users Group,” described EPRI activities related to flow accelerated corrosion (FAC) in nuclear power plants, which can lead to dangerous thinning of pipe walls in water and steam systems. Because of improved identification and monitoring of corrosion – using tools such as EPRI’s CHECWORKS software – the frequency of FAC-related events at U.S. nuclear plants has declined significantly over the past two decades. The CHECWORKS program has been continuously upgraded based on input and data from the users group and improvements in computer and imaging technology. Moreover, the users group quickly disseminates information and experiences between utilities so that what happens at one site is quickly known by everyone else.

The second article, “Main Generator Problems,” featured a roundtable discussion on operational and maintenance issues associated with the main generator and related systems. The panel included representatives from several nuclear power plants and EPRI senior project manager Jan Stein. Stein emphasized the importance of condition monitoring, engineering analysis, applying lessons learned from industry users groups, and diligently adhering to maintenance guidelines, such as a hydrogen system guide EPRI developed with INPO.

To access PDFs of the two articles, follow the links below.

Checking in with the CHECWORKS Users Group
Main Generator Problems

These articles are provided with permission from INPO and The Nuclear Professional