System 80


System 80 is a pressurized water reactor design by Combustion Engineering. Three System 80 reactors were built at Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station.

System 80+

An updated version of the plant has been designed which was given a "+" at the end of the name. This indicates an evolutionary plant design - changes were made to improve costs and safety.
The control rods differ by using both 12 finger CEAs and 4 finger CEAs. The 12 finger ones are more reactive and only used for shutdown, while the 4 finger CEAs are used to control reactivity smoothly during operation.
The System 80+ in 1993 was considered by members of the American Nuclear Society as the "premier" burner of weapons grade plutonium, as the reactor design can handle a full inventory of MOX plutonium. After the Cold War ended, 100 tons of surplus weapons grade plutonium existed and the System 80+ was assessed to be the best available way to "denature" it beyond use in typical bomb designs, the "burning"/fissioning process would produce reactor grade plutonium, which while still a security concern, it is considerably diminished.
The System 80+ was developed into the Korean OPR-1000 and later APR-1400, and contributed design features to the AP1000.
The NRC has certified the System 80+ for the U.S. market, but Westinghouse ceased actively promoting the design for domestic sale, prior to their bankruptcy.