NRC oks restart of Connecticut nuclear power plant

["Sandy Perle" <sandyfl@earthlink.net>]

This is good news for the nuclear industry and the customers of NEU. It is 
apparent to the NRC Commissioners that the Millstone Plant can be run safely, 
and that the steps taken by the utility, moreso by the many hard working 
employees, will lead to an efficiently run plant that will not adversely affect the 
health, safety and welfare of the employees and those living in areas 
surrounding the plant. I have been very critical of utility management in the 
past. However, when a company does take the necessary steps to turn around 
a flawed system, they should be commended.
=============

WASHINGTON, June 15 (Reuters) - The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
approved Monday the restart of the Unit 3 reactor at Northeast Utilities'
troubled Millstone nuclear power plant in Waterford, Connecticut.

The plant, closed two years ago for a variety of safety problems, has been
described by critics as the worst nuclear fiasco in the United States
since the Three Mile Island plant mishap in Pennsylvania back in 1979.

However, the NRC's commissioners said they agreed with the earlier 
conclusions from agency staff that Northeast has made
improvements for safely operating the plant.

``This is certainly goods news,'' said Bruce Kenyon, president of
Northeast's nuclear operations. ``We have undergone the most extensive,
exhaustive and unprecedented regulatory inspection process in the history
of nuclear power,'' he said.

Still, the commissioners said they wanted an independent consulting firm
to stay on and continue reviewing operations at the plant to ensure the
facility will be run properly.

The agency's approval does not mean the plant will resume operations
immediately. Capacity at Unit 3 will now be increased slowly in several
stages to make sure the reactor is in tip-top shape.

If there are no snags, Northeast has said it could bring the reactor back
to full capacity in as little as three-and-a-half weeks.

That still would not be enough time to beat a July 1 deadline set by
Connecticut utility regulators for Millstone's 1,150-megawatt Unit 3 to be
running at full capacity, or it will be pulled from the company's rate
base.

If that happens, the revenue requirements of Northeast subsidiary
Connecticut Light & Power would be cut by $13.2 million a month, or $158.5
million a year.

Two other nuclear reactors remain closed at the Millstone plant because of
safety problems, but Northeast hopes to get NRC approval later this year
to restart the facility's Unit 3. To make up for Millstone's lost
capacity, Northeast has been spending about $28 million per month on
replacement power.

Last December, the NRC imposed a record $2.1 million fine against
Northeast Utilities for violations that had occurred for years at the
Millstone plant. 
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Sandy Perle
Technical Director
ICN Dosimetry Division
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Office: (800) 548-5100 x2306 
Fax:    (714) 668-3149
  
sandyfl@earthlink.net
sperle@icnpharm.com

Personal Website: http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/1205
        
ICN Dosimetry Website: http://www.dosimetry.com

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