NRC sees spring ruling on River Bend, Perry plants

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

Tuesday February 23, 4:31 pm Eastern Time

NRC sees spring ruling on River Bend, Perry plants

WASHINGTON, Feb 23 (Reuters) - The Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission on Tuesday said it would make a decision by spring 
on calls from an activist group for the immediate shutdown of the 
River Bend, Louisiana, and Perry, Ohio, nuclear plants.  

A public hearing was held Monday on a petition filed last autumn 
by the Union of Concerned Scientists. The group had asked NRC 
to close the two facilities after pinhole leaks were found in the 
metal cladding surrounding uranium fuel in the plants' reactor 
cores.  

The NRC staff has already determined, however, that the leaks 
posed no immediate safety concern. The hearing was held to allow 
plant owners a forum to give more information to NRC staff ahead of 
a formal decision, the NRC spokesman said.  

``We expect to have a decision by the spring,'' the NRC 
spokesman said.

River Bend is a 936-megawatt unit located in St. Francisville, 
Louisiana. It is owned by Entergy Corp (NYSE:ETR - news).

The 1,205-MW Perry plant is owned by FirstEnergy Corp 
(NYSE:FE - news).

NRC said the fuel cladding is one of three primary barriers 
protecting the public from exposure to radiation while the plants are 
operating.  

The scientists also asked NRC to suspend the plants' operating 
licenses until River Bend and Perry update their design and 
licensing documents to permit operation with failed fuel  
assemblies, or until damaged parts were removed.

------------------------
Sandy Perle
E-Mail: sandyfl@earthlink.net
Personal Website: http://www.geocities.com/capecanaveral/1205

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