Download - AREVA

Perspective10Nuclear Services: Quickly FindingSolutions For Emergent Issues1421With plant aging, the name of thegame in the nuclear services businesstoday is finding the best solutionfor emerging problems as quickly as possible.Responding to such issues requires agility, broadcapability and experience and innovativeengineering. It also requires dogged pursuit andoften many hours of intense analysis, planning,mockup testing and training.The recent problems with Alloy 600 in reactor vessel (RV) heads andnow in the bottom mounted penetrations of some PWR plants are testing theingenuity, and perhaps patience, of all in the nuclear industry. New nondestructiveexamination techniques and tooling to deliver them have beenquickly developed to meet inspection requirements as well as new processes forcompleting repairs. Many plants are opting to replace their RV heads,but that is not an option for the bottom-mounted penetrations.Will the bottom-mounted penetration problem that surfaced at South TexasProject be the beginning of a trend? Candidly, we don’t know, and we probablywon’t until more analysis and visual inspections are completed later this year.We at Framatome ANP are in a unique position because the combinationof the knowledge base and expertise of our worldwide company, offers the mostcomprehensive and technologically advanced experience base in the industry.This, combined with our recognized reputation for responsiveness andservice, contributes to our leadership position in the nuclear service business.Regardless of what the problem is, we will be there to offer the best solutionwith the fastest response – guaranteed.George BeamSenior Vice President, ServicesFramatome ANP, Inc.An Areva and Siemens Company