Planning Makes Perfect Record-Setting Refueling Outages for Exelon

Planning is critical in preparation for a refueling outage of a nuclear power generating station. In 2000, Perini completed the first year of a five-year joint venture contract to provide construction management services for maintenance and modification work at five of Exelon Corporations' nuclear power generating stations: Braidwwod, Byron, Dresden, LaSalle and Quad Cities. The new contract was an expansion of Perini's longstanding relationship with ComEd of Illinois, now part of Exelon, one of the nation's largest electric utilities.

Since receiving the contract, the Perini-led joint venture and the Exelon team have redefined the standard for performance on planned outages, setting the record for the most efficient outage in U.S. history. The reliability of these plants, which serve 70% of the State of Illinois' population, depends on a collaborative planning process and Perini's exacting performance during planned refueling outages.

Eighteen to nine months prior to a planned outage, Exelon provides Perini with a general scope of work to be performed within the 15-day outage. Six months prior to the outage, the exact work scope is defined, containing as many as 600 discrete tasks. A Work Package is developed for each task, outlining required craft resources, materials, tools, layout, and quality assurance procedures. As many as 1,200 craft workers may participate in a single planned outage.

"The men and women of Braidwood Station have done an excellent job with planning and executing a world-class refueling outage. Our vision is to be the best operator of nuclear plants worldwide and it is through accomplishments like this that we will achieve that vision."