nuclear-news

Legal action for more scrutiny of nuclear license renewal process

The environmental group’s legal filing also criticizes Ameren for what it says is the company’s “inadequate discussion” of wind energy as an alternative to continued use of nuclear power in its required environmental reviews for the
renewal request

Environmentalists contest Ameren nuclear renewal, Bloomberg, By ALAN SCHER ZAGIER, 27 April 12, COLUMBIA, MO.A Missouri environmental group is asking the federal government to more closely scrutinize Ameren Corp.’s request for a 20-year license renewal at the state’s only nuclear power plant.

The Missouri Coalition for the Environment on Tuesday filed a legal
objection to the utility’s plan with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission. The coalition wants the federal agency to hold a formal
public hearing on Ameren’s license renewal application, a move that
would likely delay consideration of the request. Ameren’s current
40-year operating license for the Callaway County plant expires in
2024…….
The nuclear agency has given Ameren and other U.S. nuclear reactor
operators a deadline of February 2013 to submit updated seismic
studies and complete another safety plan sought in the immediate
aftermath of the Japanese disaster, with a December 2016 deadline to
put those improvements in place….
Curran said the license renewal shouldn’t happen until Ameren provides
the government those requested plans. The St. Louis-based utility
submitted its license renewal application for the nuclear plant late
last year.

“The decision on a license renewal should be delayed until all of this
information is in,” she said….. The environmental group’s legal filing also criticizes Ameren for what it says is the company’s “inadequate discussion” of wind energy as an alternative to continued use of nuclear power in its required environmental reviews for the
renewal request. http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-04/D9UCLVKG1.htm

April 28, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Legal, USA