The EPRI PWR Supplemental Surveillance Program (PSSP) Final Design and Implementation

Abstract

There is a lack of pressurized water reactor (PWR) surveillance program transition temperature shift and upper shelf toughness decrease data due to neutron irradiation exposure especially at high fluences indicative of 60 to 80 years of plant operation. The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) has funded the development of a supplemental reactor pressure vessel (RPV) surveillance program to allow testing of additionally irradiated specimens in two new capsules being installed in two different commercial reactor surveillance capsule positions. The previously irradiated materials were strategically selected and will be further irradiated to give final fluence levels equal to or above those for PWRs operating up to 80 years. This paper describes the final design of the capsules and selection of the key previously irradiated RPV materials reconstituted into new Charpy-size specimens being irradiated in the two PWR Supplemental Surveillance Program (PSSP) capsules.