NRC to Accept Public Comments at November 6 Meeting Regarding Decommissioning of Maine Yankee Nuclear Power Plant

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	NRC NEWS U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, REGION I 475 Allendale Road, King of Prussia, Pa. 19406
	CONTACT:	Diane Screnci (610)337-5330/ e-mail: dps@nrc.gov Neil A. Sheehan (610)337-5331/e-mail: nas@nrc.gov

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I-97-140

October 28, 1997

NRC TO ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENTS AT NOVEMBER 6 MEETING
REGARDING DECOMMISSIONING OF MAINE YANKEE NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

Nuclear Regulatory Commission officials will solicit comments from the public regarding decommissioning plans for the Maine Yankee nuclear power plant on Thursday, November 6, at Wiscasset Senior High School. The meeting will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. at the school, located in Wiscasset, Maine.

On August 6, Maine Yankee's Board of Directors voted to permanently close the Wiscasset reactor. Subsequently, in accordance with NRC regulations, plant operator Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company submitted a Post-Shutdown Decommissioning Activities Report to the agency on August 27. The report outlines plans for terminating the facility and cleaning up the site.

Maine Yankee has chosen the DECON option for decommissioning the site. DECON is the alternative under which the equipment, structures and portions of the facility and site containing radioactive contaminants are removed or decontaminated to a level that permits the property to be released for unrestricted use shortly after operations cease. Maine Yankee intends to complete the decontamination and dismantlement of the majority of plant structures within approximately seven years of cessation of operations.

At the November 6 meeting, the NRC will do the following: receive public comments regarding health and safety issues and the protection of the environment during decommissioning; provide an opportunity for state and local representatives to participate; describe the utility's planned activities; and describe the regulatory process for decommissioning. In addition, the utility will discuss its plans for decommissioning the facility.

The meeting will be transcribed by a court reporter.