2007 marked the first applications for new nuclear power plants
to be built in the U.S. in nearly 30 years. Indeed, the challenge of providing a
secure domestic energy supply to meet growing demand and the focus on
environmental protection have produced a compelling argument for nuclear power
generation. Superior safety performance and cost-effective electricity
production, combined with growing public support, are strong signals that
nuclear power will play an important role in meeting future demand.
Curtiss-Wright has been an active participant in the global nuclear
market—from the first U.S. Navy nuclear-powered submarine to the first domestic
nuclear power plant. Our heritage in nuclear power generation is demonstrated by
more than 50 years of engineering expertise and our commitment to excellence is
proudly represented in thousands of critical service components installed in
nuclear plants worldwide.
Operating Reactors
Our customers require support for their installed base equipment, in
particular, dealing with obsolescence and supplier exodus, and more efficient
technologies for production. Much of the equipment we provide is used to control
flow, such as valves, pumps, instrumentation, heat exchangers, containment
bolting and sealing technologies, all of which are extremely critical to plant
performance and safety. It takes impeccable credentials to be a nuclear
supplier, and Curtiss-Wright has invested in state-of-the-art equipment, highly
skilled employees, strategic teaming partnerships and quality assurance
certifications that support the nuclear market. In the U.S. nearly half of the
nuclear power plants currently operating have received 20-year extensions to
their 40-year operating licenses, with most of the others expected to follow.
Curtiss-Wright has participated every step of the way, from the first plant life
extension at Calvert Cliffs, supplying over $4 million of rotary shut-off
valves, to ongoing analysis with those customers expecting to apply. In addition
to extending licenses, operators have employed Curtiss-Wright’s newer, more
efficient technologies to increase power output by 4,845 MWe, equating to almost
five new reactors. An additional 2,500 MWe is expected to be added to the grid
during the next five years from power uprates. Plant life extensions, power
uprates and other performance initiatives are a cost-effective means of creating
new generation capacity, which is not unique to U.S. plants. Globally there are
439 nuclear reactors operating in approximately 30 countries. While the U.S. has
the most operating reactors, other countries with mature nuclear power programs
include Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the U.K.
New Construction
In the global market, Curtiss-Wright has enjoyed success in countries such as
China, Finland, Russia, South Korea and Taiwan where new plant construction has
been active.
In 2007, we announced our first order from China for Curtiss-Wright equipment
used in the Westinghouse AP1000 design. The AP1000, the first Generation III+
nuclear power plant to receive design certification by the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, is based on 50 years of design and support experience with existing
pressurized water reactors. The advanced passive reactor design features natural
circulation, gravity, convection and compressed gas to address accident
conditions, rather than relying on operator actions and independent power.
Because of the simplification of the plant design, it has fewer valves, pumps
and piping, which contributes to improved reliability and reduced plant
construction/operating costs. Curtiss-Wright designs and manufactures major
components that are at the heart of the AP1000 nuclear power plant design,
namely, the reactor coolant pumps that circulate the coolant fluid for the
reactor and the control rod drive mechanisms which are used to control the
reactor core activity. These critical components have operating lives in excess
of 40 years with virtually no maintenance requirements.
Global Partnerships
The nuclear accord between China and the U.S. represents the beginning of a
dramatic shift in the global approach to supplying clean energy worldwide. With
concerns about global warming and energy security on the rise, nuclear energy
technology is fostering global partnerships that will expand the safe use of
nuclear energy in the near term. We are very proud of our leadership in this
critical market. Curtiss-Wright's expansive installed base at every nuclear
power plant in the U.S. and throughout the global industry, combined with our
numerous advanced technologies, will enable us to remain at the forefront of
this vital, growing market.
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