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Relicensing

The U.S. nuclear reactor fleet is aging but owners are applying to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for license extensions to operate reactors an additional 20 years beyond their licensed lifetimes. Beyond Nuclear is challenging and opposing relicensing efforts.

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Friday
Jul122019

America wants to extend the lifespans of its nearly 100 nuclear reactors to 80 years

As reported by Reuters.

Beyond Nuclear, represented by legal counsel Diane Curran, is challenging 80 years of operation at the Peach Bottom nuclear power plant in PA, with its Fukushima Daiichi identically twin designed atomic reactors. Peach Bottom, PA, and Turkey Point, FL, are among the first reactors in the U.S. applying for 80 years of operations. Initial licenses were for 40 years, and already represented very significant age-related degradation, breakdown phase risks. The article above neglects to mention such risks.

Also, the nuclear power industry and its proponents in the federal government have been promising less radioactive waste-generating reactor designs for many decades. As reported above, they wasted yet another $125 million in federal taxpayer money yet again in the past year, chasing pie in the sky "advanced" reactor designs, some of which have been in development for decades. This subsidy is on top of hundreds of billions of taxpayer and ratepayer dollars, or more, heaped upon the nuclear industry over the past half-century and longer. Nuclear power is among the most heavily subsidized energy industry's in history, and yet continues to lobby for more, year after year.

The opportunity cost of continuing to subsidize nuclear power means that the real solutions to the climate crisis -- efficiency, and renewables like wind and solar -- will continue to go untapped, for lack of adequate funding.

And speaking of wind and solar, they too can generate hydrogen. The article neglects to mention this.

Tuesday
May282019

Nuclear Power Plant Workers Prep For Shutdown After 47 Years

As reported by WGBH.

Even though NRC rubber-stamped a 60-year extended license at Pilgrim, it ceased operations at 47 years.

Tuesday
Apr232019

Beyond Nuclear speaks out against bailouts for dangerously old atomic reactors in Ohio

As posted at Beyond Nuclear's SUBSIDIES website subsection: Testimony of Beyond Nuclear, Before the Ohio House of Representatives – Energy Generation Subcommittee, Committee Meeting on Proposed H.B. No. 6 “Creates Ohio Clean Air Program.”

Beyond Nuclear co-led the environmental coalition legal intervention against Davis-Besse's 20-year license extension, from 2010 to 2016. Despite the high risks, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission rubber-stamped the 2017 to 2037 license extension anyway.

Despite this, the reactor would likely shut down for good, because it has losing momey for many years, so badly, its owner FirstEnergy is bankrupt. But the long proposed bailouts would keep the high risk reactor running indefinitely into the future.

Friday
Jul272018

Iowa's only nuclear plant, Duane Arnold, to permanently shut down in late 2020

As reported by The Gazette in Cedar Rapids, IA, as well as KCRG-TV9. The electricity supply will largely be replaced by more cost effective renewables, such as wind power. Duane Arnold, a General Electric Mark I Boiling Water Reactor -- a twin design to Fukushima Daiichi in Japan -- will be 46-years old when it is permanently shut down in late 2020.

Thus, it will have only operated for six of the 20 years for which the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission rubber-stamped a license extension on top of its original 40-year license.

See Beyond Nuclear's Reactors Are Closing website page.

Wednesday
Jul112018

Exelon applies for 80 years of operation at Fukushima Daiichi twin design reactors

As reported by World Nuclear News Daily:

Exelon Generation submitted an application yesterday with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a second licence renewal for its two-unit Peach Bottom nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania. The application makes it the first boiling water reactor plant to seek a licence extension to 80 years of operation. If approved, it will extend the plant's two operating licences to 2053 and 2054.

Peach Bottom is a two unit nuclear power plant. One reactor is 44 years old, the other 45 years old. They are Fukushima Daiichi twin designs, General Electric Mark I Boiling Water Reactors.

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