NRC RENEWS LICENSE FOR ARKANSAS NUCLEAR ONE, UNIT 1 FOR AN ADDITIONAL 20 YEARS

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has renewed the operating license for Unit 1 of the Arkansas Nuclear One nuclear power plant near Russellville. It is operated by Entergy Operations, Inc.

The Commission unanimously approved the license extension following a review of staff recommendations.

Entergy submitted an application to the NRC on January 31, 2000, to renew the license for Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 1, which expires on May 20, 2014. The NRC conducted an extensive review of the license renewal application in accordance with Parts 51 and 54 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

The NRC's environmental review, under Part 51, is described in a site-specific supplement to the NRC's "Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Power Plants," (NUREG-1437, Supplement 3). In this Final Environmental Impact Statement, issued on April 12, the staff concluded that there were no impacts that would preclude renewal of the license for environmental reasons.

In the "Safety Evaluation Report Related to the License Renewal of Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 1," (NUREG-1743) issued in June, the staff concluded that there were no safety concerns that would preclude license renewal, because the licensee had demonstrated the capability to manage the effects of plant aging.

In addition, the NRC conducted two inspections of the plant to verify information submitted by the licensee.

On May 16, the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards -- an independent body of technical experts which advises the Commission -- issued its recommendation that the operating license for Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 1, be renewed. That recommendation is contained in the "Report on the Safety Aspects of the License Renewal Application for Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 1."

Copies of these documents and others relating to the license renewal will be available at: http://www.nrc.gov/OPA/reports/renewal.htm on the agency's web site. A copy of the staff's recommendation on the renewal of Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 1, which contains the license conditions for the facility, will be available at the same web site as well as in the NRC Public Document Room at the agency's One White Flint North Building, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland; telephone 1-800-397-4209 or (301) 415-4737.

NRC renewed the operating licenses for both units of the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant near Lusby, Maryland, for an additional 20 years on March 23, 2000, and renewed the operating licenses for the three units of the Oconee Nuclear Station near Seneca, South Carolina, for an additional 20 years on May 23, 2000. The agency is currently reviewing license renewal applications for Hatch Units 1 and 2, operated by the Southern Nuclear Operating Company, near Baxley, Georgia; Turkey Point Units 3 and 4, operated by Florida Power & Light Co., near Florida City; Virginia Electric & Power Co.'s Surry Units 1 and 2, near Surry, Va., and North Anna Units 1 and 2, 40 miles northwest of Richmond; and Duke Power Co.'s McGuire Units 1 and 2, near Charlotte, North Carolina, and Catawba Units 1 and 2, near Rock Hill, South Carolina.

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Thursday, February 22, 2007