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STP Nuclear Generating Station Unit 1 Returns to Service After Safe, Successful Outage

By Eric McErlain
The South Texas Project.
The following was issued by the media team at the South Texas Project.
The South Texas Project (STP) Unit 1 reactor is back online and operating at full power after a scheduled refueling and maintenance outage. The unit returned to 100 percent power Friday, Nov. 30.

“Our team safely and efficiently completed a large scope of work that included maintenance, testing, and inspection activities,” said STP President and Chief Executive Officer Dennis Koehl. “The work completed prepares the unit to run continuously until its next refueling outage, about 18 months from now.”

The unit was taken offline on Saturday, Oct. 20 for scheduled refueling and maintenance. The beginning of this outage marked an STP record of 530 continuous days online for Unit 1. The previous STP record for consecutive days on-line – held by Unit 2 – was 525 days, completed in 2008.

STP mobilized approximately 1,100 contractors to assist with major and minor modifications that enhance equipment reliability. Numerous plant systems and components were tested and inspected, and about one-third of the reactor’s fuel assemblies were replaced with new ones.

More than 11,000 maintenance, testing, and inspection tasks were completed. Major projects included inspections and repairs to a 530,000-gallon refueling water storage tank and replacement of a 50-ton reactor coolant pump motor.

“Safety is our highest priority,” said Koehl. “Through preparation and planning, our team safely worked more than 250,000 man-hours to complete the scheduled work and bring Unit 1 back online."

For eight consecutive years, STP has safely produced more energy than any other two-unit facility in the nation.

The plant is managed by the STP Nuclear Operating Company and owned by Austin Energy, CPS Energy and NRG Energy. STP's twin reactors produce 2,700 megawatts of carbon-free electricity, enough to power two million homes.
Congrats to the entire team at STP for a job well done.
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