Residents of Quebec benefit from more reliable and cost-effective electricity thanks to research that used neutron beams. Such research provided Hydro-Quebec with understandings of how manufacturing processes affect the reliability of the turbine runners. Such insights ensure the dependability of turbines, as unexpected failures during peak demand can lead to catastrophic financial losses, potentially amounting to tens of millions of dollars. Moreover, replacing a turbine can cost upwards of $10 million.
Currently, Hydro-Quebec is spearheading an initiative within the International Electrotechnical Commission to develop a new international standard aimed at ensuring long-term reliability and preventing turbine failures. This proposed standard, along with the consequent improvements in reliability across hydroelectric power plants worldwide, underscores the ongoing impact of research using neutron beams.
The economic value of averting sudden turbine failures globally through effective, science-based international standards can be estimated in the hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars.
