NRC ACCEPTS SOUTH TEXAS PROJECT’S NEW REACTOR APPLICATION;
REVIEW SCHEDULE AWAITS MORE INFORMATION
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The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has accepted for review a combined license (COL) application for two new reactors at the South Texas Project site near Bay City, Texas. The agency is seeking more information, however, before it establishes a complete technical review schedule for the application. This is the first COL application the agency has accepted for review.

“We have what we need to open a file, or ‘docket,’ on this application, and we’ll start analyzing those pieces that have enough detail to review properly,” said Bill Borchardt, Director of the NRC’s Office of New Reactors. “We’ve also listed those areas where the applicants, NRG Energy and South Texas Project, will have to give us more detailed information.”

The companies submitted the application and associated information Sept. 24. The NRC’s acceptance letter, as well as the application’s public version (minus proprietary or security-related details), will be available on the NRC Web site here: http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-licensing/col/south-texas-project.html . The application seeks approval to build and operate two Advanced Boiling Water Reactors (ABWR) at the site, approximately 12 miles southwest of Bay City. The ABWR is a 1,300 MWe design the NRC certified in 1997, and is currently in use overseas.

Docketing the application does not indicate whether the Commission will approve or reject the request. The NRC will shortly issue a notice of opportunity to request a hearing in the Federal Register. Petitions for a hearing may be filed within 60 days of the notice, by anyone whose interest may be affected by the proposed license and who wishes to participate as a party in the proceeding.

The NRC is currently conducting acceptance reviews on COL applications for the Bellefonte site in Alabama and the North Anna site in Virginia, and also expects two additional applications before the end of this year. Information about the new reactor licensing process can be found on the NRC Web site here: http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactor-licensing.html.

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Thursday, October 22, 2009