Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant
Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant is Luminant's sole nuclear power plant. Located in Glen Rose, Texas, Comanche Peak welcomes visitors with an expansive visitor's center, videos and nuclear related information.
The Comanche Peak nuclear power plant is a two-unit nuclear-fueled power plant located four and a half miles northwest of Glen Rose in Somervell County and about 80 miles southwest of downtown Dallas. The plant is owned and operated by Luminant and has an operating capacity of 2,300 megawatts (two 1,150 megawatt units).
Fuel
Fuel for the Comanche Peak plant is uranium dioxide, enriched to about 4.5% uranium -235. The fuel is fabricated in small ceramic pellets and the pellets are clad in zirconium tubes or fuel rods. The fuel rods are bundled together to form fuel assemblies. Each pellet of uranium fuel produces as much heat energy as 149 gallons of oil; 157 gallons of gasoline; 1,780 pounds of coal; or 19,200 cubic feet of natural gas. There are more than 18,000,000 fuel pellets in each reactor.
Cooling Reservoir
Squaw Creek Reservoir provides cooling water for the power plant. The reservoir covers 3,275 surface acres with an average depth of 46 feet and it took approximately 2 years to fill. When both units of Comanche Peak are at full power, 2.2 million gallons of water are pumped through the plants main condensers.
Miscellaneous
More than 450,000 cubic yards of concrete have been poured and more than 63,000 tons of reinforcing steel bar have been used in plant construction. The combined length of electrical conduit at Comanche Peak is more than 200 miles.
Awards
Luminant has received numerous awards over past years from a variety of regulatory, conservation, municipal and other organizations. Safety is a priority at all company facilities.
Civic
Luminant has a rich history of community leadership through employee volunteerism, employee contributions and company financial support. Employees of the plant support a variety of organizations in their community. United Way and Energy Aid receive employee contributions through payroll deductions as well as personal donations.
Special Programs
Educational material is available on a variety of nuclear energy topics. This includes simulated uranium fuel, plant photographs, postcards, and a series of pamphlets addressing nuclear energy issues. Speakers from the Comanche Peak site are available to meet with your group at the Visitors Center. Engineers, environmental experts, chemists, and radiation protection specialists, among others, are eager to share their information and experience with you.
The Visitors Center
Our visitors center offers an overview of the nuclear plant. See it all in a video that shows the inside of the plant and how it works followed by a Q & A session led by your Visitors Center escort. Experience interactive exhibits and graphic displays.
The Visitors Center is open by appointment only. You may contact us at 254.897.5554 or e-mail us at cpvisitors@luminant.com.
For information about picnic areas and other educational and entertaining places in the Glen Rose and Granbury areas, please call the following offices for more ideas: Glen Rose – Somervell County Chamber of Commerce 254.897.2286, Glen Rose Convention and Visitors Bureau 888.DINO.CVB, or Granbury Convention and Visitors Bureau 817.573.5548 or 800.950.2212.