Bigge Crane & Rigging Co.
Nuclear Reactor Vessel Head Replacement
Plant:
Project:
Location:
Owner:
Contractor:
Year:
Project:
Location:
Owner:
Contractor:
Year:
Prairie Island Unit #2 (522 MW)
Reactor Vessel Closure Head Replacement Projects
Red Wing, MN
Nuclear Management Co.
Westinghouse Electric Co.
2005 (April)
Reactor Vessel Closure Head Replacement Projects
Red Wing, MN
Nuclear Management Co.
Westinghouse Electric Co.
2005 (April)
Scope:
Bigge Power Constructors, as subcontractor to Westinghouse, performed the following nuclear reactor vessel head (RVH) replacement work involving heavy lift and heavy transportation.
- Engineered custom solutions for the plant’s head and Containment circumstances
- Fabricated lifting and skidding devices and runways to move the RVH heads
- Ensured devices account for RVH with CRDM’s attached
- Ensured devices account for tight clearances through equipment hatches
- Received new MHI RVH, stored, moved, upended and disassembled container
- Moved Duratek transportation container into Containment, upended, and placed on RVH
- Installed specialized Bigge handling equipment in Containment including a through-hatch runway system
- Removed the existing RVH from containment inside the Duratek container
- Moved into Containment, upended, lifted and set replacement RVH with CRDM’s attached
- Lifted RVH in Duratek container to off road hauler for disposal
Job Challenges:
Bigge Constructors successfully dealt with the following challenges on this project.
- Engineering unique solution to RVH accounting for CRDM’s, tight clearances and the elevated equipment hatch access
- Handling, skidding and rotating the RVH with CRDM’s attached
- Handling and lifting RV heads with CRDM’s attached, approximately 150 tons
- Beating the critical path schedule while achieving low dose and safety
Revised November 14, 2005
