What It Takes To Build A Nuclear Power Plant
Just about any sort of power plant has its own unique design. Yet, nuclear (pronounced NU-kleer, not Nu-que-ler), power plants are definitely a step above all others. If you have every wondered what it takes to build a nuclear power plant, the following information will give you a closer look inside plant construction.
Hiring Power Plant Construction Contractors
The construction of every nuclear power plant begins with hiring power plant construction contractors. Because of the enormity of the plant in question, and the gravity of its construction, sometimes more than one contractor is hired for the job. Bids for different sections of the plant are places with the local city or town government in accordance with the local laws. Contractors bid on the sections of the plant they want to build, and know that they can build. Once all of the winning bids are accepted, the work begins.
The Building of the Building
One contractor is typically responsible for the construction of the plant where people are working all day, every day. He or she follows blueprints created by an architect, and verified by plant design engineers. There may be a lot of subcontractors on the project as well, including plumbers and electricians. Everyone works together to construct the working building of the plant and makes certain that the pipes, tanks, wiring, etc.., are all installed correctly and effectively in order to avoid a meltdown.
The Construction of the Cooling Towers
The most iconic parts of any nuclear plant are its cooling towers. These massive concrete structures are responsible for storing water, cooling it, and injecting it into the nuclear reactor to keep the reactor cooled. It takes a lot of time, people, energy, and industrial supplies to create the towers. Once the towers and the plant are complete, the last structure to be built is the reactor.
Erecting the Reactor
The most dangerous part of the construction work, and the most necessary to the whole of a nuclear plant, the reactor can only be built if and when a nuclear physicist and engineer are present. These professionals ensure that the reactor is built to very exact specifications prior to bringing in the nuclear material for the chamber. There is no one part to a nuclear plant that can be faulty or poorly built, but the reactor is the one component where absolutely everything has to be built to absolute perfection.