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No. 98-218

December 8, 1998

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, acting on a motion filed by North Atlantic Energy Services Corporation (NAESCO), has terminated proceedings involving a proposed license amendment for the Seabrook nuclear power plant in New Hampshire.

NAESCO was seeking to revise the Seabrook license to permit inspection of the plant steam generator tubes at 24-month, rather than 18-month, intervals. Both the Seacoast Anti-Pollution League (SAPL) and New England Coalition on Nuclear Pollution (NECNP)sought a hearing on the request before an NRC Licensing Board.

The Commission took jurisdiction in the case in September to provide early review of a novel issue that could have broad implications for other proceedings. That question was whether the utility could bring about a major operational change, such as a lengthened fuel cycle, through several incremental license amendments, rather than a single licensing action.

Shortly thereafter, at all the parties' request, the Commission held its proceedings in abeyance to permit settlement negotiations to go forward. After no settlement was reached, NAESCO withdrew its license amendment requests and moved that the proceeding be terminated as moot.

In granting the utility's motion, the Commission denied motions by SAPL and NECNP that a separate proceeding be held on the incremental license change issue outside the context of the Seabrook proposal.