AREVA to supply Palo Verde station with in-core detectors

AREVA Inc. announced on Wednesday that they have been awarded a contract to manufacture and supply self-powered in-core detector assemblies (IDCA) for the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station in Arizona.

According to the company these IDCAs are capable of providing real-time data indicating the conditions within a nuclear reactor core.

“With AREVA’s in-core detectors, reactor operators have the information they need to navigate transient conditions and to detect and diagnose anomalies,” George Beam, senior vice president of Installed Base Services at AREVA Inc., said. “Innovations such as these in-core detection systems demonstrate AREVA’s ability to constantly develop new ways to support the safe, reliable and efficient operation of nuclear energy facilities across the country.”

AREVA has delivered two IDCAs to the Wintersburg, Arizona, facility; an additional 54 units will be delivered by the end of this year.

The IDCAs from AREVA have a streamlined design that does not incorporate moving parts and it does not require an external power supply. The company states that all systems within this order will be tailored to fit the needs of the Palo Verde Plant and will be manufactured at their plant in Lynchburg, Virginia.

AREVA specializes in multiple areas of the nuclear energy industry including the design and manufacture of nuclear reactors and associated components.