Improved Load Follow Strategy for Return-to-Power Capability

A control bank redesign and a modified control strategy have been developed to improve load follow capabilities in commercial pressurized water reactors (PWRs). The use of controlled moderator temperature reductions adds to both load follow and return-to-power capability through an inherently negative moderator temperature coefficient. Using the new control strategy, a PWR can typically return from part power to at least a 90% power level at a 5%/min rate during daily load cycles, and also follow daily load cycles out to 98% of core life.