An improved method of increasing the power output of an existing nuclear power
plant includes increasing the thermal power output of the plant's nuclear island
and constructing of an auxiliary BOP to handle the increased thermal power. The
thermal power of the nuclear island can be increased such as by increasing the
thermal power of the plant's reactor, by replacing the plant's steam generator
with one that is more efficient, and by increasing the flow rate and/or change
in temperature of a coolant in a secondary cooling loop of the plant. The thermal
power of the reactor can be increased such as by replacing existing cylindrical
fuel rods with fuel rods having a relatively greater surface area to volume ratio
and/or by increasing the flow rate and/or the change in temperature of a coolant
of a primary cooling loop. The auxiliary BOP can be constructed while the plant
is in operation, and can then be connected with the nuclear island during a maintenance
operation on the reactor.
