[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
NRC commissioners hear case to approve Oconee relicense
NRC commissioners hear case to approve Oconee relicense
WASHINGTON, May 2 (Reuters) - Members of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission on Tuesday heard arguments from its staff recommending
approval for a 20-year operating license extension for the Oconee
nuclear power plant in Seneca, South Carolina.
No vote was taken by the five-member commission.
NRC Chairman Richard Meserve is to visit the three-unit facility next
week, making a final decision likely pending his return.
Oconee, owned by Duke Energy Corp <DUK.N>, is seeking to become the
second plant this year to win a NRC extension.
On March 23, the NRC for the first time extended the license of a
commercial nuclear power plant, unanimously approving a 20-year
extension for Constellation Energy's <CEG.N> Calvert Cliffs plant
along the eastern Maryland shore.
NRC staff on Tuesday told the commission they saw no environmental or
safety reasons for not approving a similar renewal for Oconee.
One commissioner, Jeffrey Merrifield, while not voting, said the
decision "was not a difficult vote."
Oconee consists of three reactors, each rated at 846 megawatts. Unit
1's license to operate expires on Feb. 6, 2013; Unit 2's on Oct. 6,
2013; and on July 19, 2014, for Unit 3.
Nuclear utilities are acting well ahead of the original expiration
dates in order to plan out their generation capacity into the next
decade.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sandy Perle Tel:(714) 545-0100 / (800) 548-5100
Director, Technical Extension 2306
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Division Fax:(714) 668-3149
ICN Biomedicals, Inc. E-Mail: sandyfl@earthlink.net
ICN Plaza, 3300 Hyland Avenue E-Mail: sperle@icnpharm.com
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Personal Website: http://www.geocities.com/capecanaveral/1205
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Website: http://www.dosimetry.com
************************************************************************
The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html