Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant Successfully Installs MOHR Spent Fuel Pool Instrumentation (SFPI)

RICHLAND, Wash., Oct. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- MOHR Test and Measurement LLC (MOHR), a supplier of guided-wave radar liquid-level and void-fraction sensors for nuclear and other industrial applications, announced the recent successful installation of its EFP-IL Spent Fuel Pool Instrumentation (SFPI) System at the Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant (D.C. Cook) in Michigan, operated by American Electric Power (AEP) and a member station of the Utilities Service Alliance (USA).

Spent fuel pools are used to store spent nuclear fuel rods.  Water cools the fuel rods and shields workers from radioactivity.  In response to the Japan nuclear accident at Fukushima Dai-ichi, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) requires that all U.S. nuclear plants install reliable spent fuel pool instrumentation to detect changes in spent fuel pool water level.  Each pool is required to be equipped with independent primary and backup SFPI channels to ensure reliability.

The MOHR instrument was selected for use by the USA fleet and the USA Project Team model was applied. The teaming model lowered costs and streamlined technical design efforts and the project delivery schedule. For example, a single seismic qualification test was performed which bounded the seismic design values of all USA plants, and a Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) was developed that was applicable to all USA plants.  Costs for these and other project deliverables were shared among all members.

"D.C. Cook is the pilot plant for the installation of our EFP-IL SFPI System as well as our recent NRC audit, so we have gotten off to a great start," said Brandt Mohr, MOHR chief technologist.  "The utility technical staff and our engineers worked well together and completed the project on-time."  Mohr says the primary and backup EFP-IL signal processors, which feature integrated displays, are installed in the plant main control room and connect to passive stainless steel probes in the spent fuel pool through approximately 450 ft. and 650 ft. of coaxial cable, respectively.  According to Mohr, the D.C. Cook SFPI system has successfully completed all commissioning activities and meets all of its design and functional requirements.  MOHR has announced contracts to deliver at least 47 EFP-IL SFPI systems in the U.S and internationally.

About the EFP-IL SFPI System
The EFP-IL SFPI System comprises the EFP-IL Signal Processor, EFP-BAT-44000 External Battery Enclosure, and SFP-1 Level Probe Assembly.  The system detects water level changes of as little as 0.1 in. (3 mm) with system electronics located 1000 ft. (305 m) from the probe.  The system meets stringent NRC augmented quality requirements including seismic qualification to IEEE 344, provides reliable full-range level monitoring even in the presence of seawater or other contaminants, and is designed for installation in both boiling-water reactor (BWR) and pressurized-water reactor (PWR) spent fuel pools.  Learn more about the EFP-IL SFPI system at http://www.mohrtm.com/sfpi.

About Utilities Service Alliance, Inc. (USA)
Utilities Service Alliance, Inc., headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, is a non-stock, non-profit, membership cooperative established in 1996. Its two primary objectives are to improve station safety and reliability and to reduce operating costs.  USA's membership is comprised of eight of America's leading electric utilities: American Electric Power, DTE Energy, Energy Northwest, Nebraska Public Power District, Omaha Public Power District, PPL, PSEG, and Xcel Energy. These utilities operate 14 nuclear power reactors located at 10 stations. Collectively, these stations generate 13 percent of our country's nuclear electric power. Learn more at http://www.usainc.org.

About American Electric Power (AEP)
American Electric Power is one of the largest electric utilities in the United States, delivering electricity to more than 5.3 million customers in 11 states. AEP ranks among the nation's largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 38,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the U.S. AEP also owns the nation's largest electricity transmission system, a more than 40,000-mile network that includes more 765 kilovolt extra-high voltage transmission lines than all other U.S. transmission systems combined. AEP's utility units operate as AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power, AEP Appalachian Power, Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company. AEP's headquarters are in Columbus, Ohio. Learn more at http://AEP.com

About MOHR
MOHR has developed innovative test and measurement instrumentation for commercial and military nuclear applications for nearly 30 years.  Learn more at http://www.mohrtm.com.

Media Contact:
Brandt C. Mohr, M.D.
+1 (888) 852-0408
Email

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SOURCE MOHR