NRC LICENSING BOARD TO HOLD HEARING ON CLINTON EARLY SITE PERMIT;
PUBLIC COMMENTS TO BE HEARD NOVEMBER 8 IN CLINTON
Printable Version

The Atomic Safety and Licensing Board, an independent adjudicatory arm of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, will conduct a hearing beginning Nov. 7 on the proposed early site permit for the Clinton Nuclear Power Plant with a separate public comment session scheduled for Nov. 8 in Clinton, Ill.

Exelon Generation Co. submitted an application in September 2003 for an Early Site Permit which would resolve site-related issues, such as environmental impacts, for possible future construction and operation of a nuclear power plant at the site. The site currently has one power reactor which began operation in 1974.

If approved, the permit would give Exelon up to 20 years to decide whether to build one or more nuclear plants on the site and to file an application with the NRC for approval to begin construction.

A final decision on the permit by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, based on the Licensing Board proceeding, is expected in May 2007.

The hearing on the proposed permit, which is required by NRC regulations, will begin at 9 a.m. Nov. 7 in the Decatur Conference Center, 4191 West U.S. Highway 36, Decatur, Ill. This hearing is open to public observation, but testimony will be restricted to the NRC staff and Exelon Generation Co., which is seeking the permit.

Oral comments from interested members of the public will be received by the Licensing Board at a separate evening session on Nov. 8. Written comments may also be submitted.

The public comment session will begin at 6 p.m. in the Clinton Junior High School, 701 Illini Drive, Clinton, and continue until 10 p.m. if necessary. Public comments will be limited to five minutes in length, although the time may be further restricted, if necessary to allow all those desiring to speak to do so.

Persons wishing to make oral comments at the November 8 session are requested to notify the Licensing Board by Oct. 30.

Anyone wishing to submit a written statement or to submit a written request to make an oral statement may do so by email to hearingdocket@nrc.gov, by fax (301) 415-1101, or by mail to: Office of the Secretary, Attn. Rulemaking and Adjudications Staff, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001. In addition, copies of written statements or requests to make an oral statement should be sent to the Chairman of the Licensing Board by e-mail to ksv@nrc.gov, fax (301-415-5599), or by mail to: Administrative Judge Paul B. Abramson, Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, Mail Stop: T-3F23, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001.

The hearing before the Licensing Board, which begins Nov. 7, will consider the suitability of the proposed site from safety and environmental viewpoints. Testimony will be provided by witnesses representing the NRC staff and the applicant, Exelon Generation Co.

Following Exelon’s submittal of the permit application, the NRC staff completed a thorough review of the proposal and, in addition, considered comments submitted by the public and other governmental agencies. The staff’s findings are contained in two documents, the Final Environmental Statement, issued July 20, 2006, and the Safety Evaluation Report, issued May 1, 2006. The conclusions of both documents support the issuance of the Early Site Permit.

The two documents, along with other documents related to the proposed Early Site Permit, are available on the NRC web site at: http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-licensing/esp/clinton.html. The prepared testimony and other documents related to the Early Site Permit proceeding will be available in the agency’s online document library: http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams/web-based.html – use Docket No. 05200007 in the docket number box on the advanced search page. Restricting the dates searched will reduce the number of documents listed.

NRC news releases are available through a free listserv subscription at the following Web address: http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/listserver.html. The NRC Home Page at www.nrc.gov also offers a Subscribe to News link in the News & Information menu. E-mail notifications are sent to subscribers when news releases are posted to NRC's Web Site.

Privacy Policy | Site Disclaimer
Thursday, February 22, 2007