NRC ACCEPTS APPLICATIONS FOR BELLEFONTE NEW REACTORS,
AMENDED AP1000 DESIGN FOR REVIEW
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The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has accepted for review two related applications: a request from Westinghouse to amend the certified AP1000 reactor design, and a combined license (COL) application for two new AP1000 reactors at the Bellefonte site near Scottsboro, Ala. The Bellefonte application is the second COL the agency has accepted for review.

“Westinghouse has provided what we need to start the review process, and since the Tennessee Valley Authority wants permission to build the AP1000 at Bellefonte, we can ‘docket’ both applications at the same time,” said Bill Borchardt, Director of the NRC’s Office of New Reactors. “The staff expects their AP1000 review will run through 2009, while the Bellefonte work will continue into 2011.”

The AP1000 is a 1,100 MWe pressurized-water reactor design the NRC certified in 2006. Westinghouse’s amendment seeks to:

1) revise the design’s steam generators,

2) resolve several issues that would otherwise be left to COL applicants, and

3) voluntarily address the NRC’s proposed rule on aircraft impact assessments. The amendment application (minus proprietary or security-related details), will be available on the NRC Web site here:  http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-licensing/design-cert/amended-ap1000.html .

TVA submitted its application Oct. 30, 2007, to build and operate two AP1000 reactors at the Alabama site, where two partially constructed reactors were cancelled in 2006. The application (minus proprietary or security-related details), is available on the NRC Web site here:  http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-licensing/col/bellefonte.html .

Docketing these applications does not indicate whether the Commission will approve or reject the requests. The NRC will shortly issue in the Federal Register a notice of opportunity to participate in a hearing on the Bellefonte application. Petitions to intervene in 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 reviewing a COL application for the South Texas Project site in Texas, along with conducting acceptance reviews on COL applications for the North Anna site in Virginia and the Lee site in South Carolina. The agency expects an additional 15 applications in 2008. Information about the new reactor licensing process is available on the NRC Web site here: http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactor-licensing.html .

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Tuesday, April 08, 2008