A special lifting device

That meant workers had to cut the access hole, swap the generators and repair the hole nearly 100 feet (some 30 meters) above ground, higher than any previous wall access on a Bechtel SGR project. A special lifting device, called an outside lifting system, was used to lower the retired generators to the ground. The same device was used to raise the new equipment.

Not every SGR project gets named a Top Plant of the year award by Power magazine—an honor accorded to Comanche Peak. But Bechtel has gotten pretty good at completing such projects on time, and doing it safely. At Comanche Peak, the team completed the million-job-hour outage with no lost-time accidents.

By replacing steam generators and other aging components, Bechtel will continue to bring new life to older nuclear power plants. We also are poised to lead in the design and construction of a new generation of nuclear plants that will revitalize the industry, reducing dependence on fossil fuel, and helping fight climate change.