Press Release-09-190, NRC Renews Operating Licenses for Susquehanna Nuclear Power Plant for an Additional 20 Years

Press Release-09-190: NRC Renews Operating Licenses for Susquehanna Nuclear Power Plant for an Additional 20 Years

ML093280772
Person / Time
Site:	Sequoyah
Issue date:	11/24/2009
From:	Office of Public Affairs
To:
References
Press Release-09-190
Download: ML093280772 (1)

Text

NRC NEWS U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs Telephone: 301/415-8200 Washington, D.C. 20555-0001 E-mail: opa.resource@nrc.gov Site: http://www.nrc.gov No.09-190 November 24, 2009 NRC RENEWS OPERATING LICENSES FOR SUSQUEHANNA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT FOR AN ADDITIONAL 20 YEARS The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has renewed the operating licenses for the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2, in Salem Township, Pa., for an additional 20 years. The new licenses will expire on July 17, 2042, and March 23, 2044, respectively.

The decision to renew the licenses comes after thorough safety and environmental reviews of the application submitted September 2006, by the plants operator, PPL Susquehanna, LLC. The Susquehanna Steam Electric Station Units 1 and 2 are boiling-water nuclear reactors located five miles northeast of Berwick, Pa. The NRC held public meetings near the plant on Nov. 15, 2006, and May 28, 2008, to discuss Susquehannas environmental review. In March, NRC staff concluded there were no environmental impacts that would preclude renewal of the licenses for environmental reasons.

In August, after careful review of the plants safety systems and specifications, the staff concluded that there were no safety concerns that would preclude license renewal and that the applicant had effectively demonstrated the capability to manage the effects of plant aging. In addition, NRC conducted inspections of the plant to verify information submitted by the applicant. On Oct. 23, the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards - an independent body of technical experts that advises the Commission - issued its recommendation that license renewal for Susquehanna should be approved. The safety and environmental review reports, application and letters relating to the Susquehanna license renewal are available on the NRC Web site at:

http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/licensing/renewal/applications/susquehanna.html.

The Susquehanna licenses represent the 58th and 59th reactor licenses renewed by the NRC.

A complete listing of renewal applications can be found on the NRC Web site at:

http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/licensing/renewal.html.

News releases are available through a free listserv subscription at the following Web address:

http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/listserver.html. The NRC homepage at www.nrc.gov also offers a SUBSCRIBE link. E-mail notifications are sent to subscribers when news releases are posted to NRC's Web site.