The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is accepting hearing petitions on proposed license transfers for the retired Crystal River nuclear power plant in Florida.
Owner Duke Energy wants to transfer the facility’s operations and spent-fuel storage licenses to a subsidiary of Accelerated Decommissioning Partners (ADP). That company, a joint venture of NorthStar Group Services and Orano, would then decommission the facility.
Duke closed the single-reactor site in Citrus County in 2009, after 32 years of operation, rather than repairing its damaged containment building. In May, the Charlotte, N.C.-based power company hired ADP as its decommissioning contractor for Crystal River. The contract is valued at $540 million.
The companies filed the license transfer application on June 14. Duke Energy has said it hopes for a decision from the NRC by the end of the year.
With approval from the federal regulator, Accelerated Decommissioning Partners would be the licensed operator for Crystal River. Duke Energy would remain owner of the plant itself, while ADP would acquire the spent-fuel storage pad, associated equipment, and title to the used fuel and other radioactive waste, according to an Oct. 11 notice in the Federal Register.
Decontamination, disassembly, and demolition of the facility is due to be completed by 2027. That would leave only the used-fuel storage installation.
Stakeholders have 20 days from publication of the Federal Register notice to submit petitions for intervention and a hearing on the license transfer proceeding.
The NRC is also accepting comments on the license transfer through Nov. 12. Comments may be submitted at regulations.gov, Docket ID NRC–2019–0184; by email, to [email protected]; by fax, to Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission at 301– 415–1101; by mail, to Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555–0001, ATTN: Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff; or in person, to11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Md.
