The Limerick reactors, as seen from Heritage Airport in Limerick PA
LIMERICK PA – Exelon Generation Company’s application to the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for the 20-year renewal of operating licenses at Units 1 and 2 of the Limerick Generating Station became available Thursday (June 30, 2011) for public review, NRC Public Affairs Officer Neil Sheehan announced.
Both are boiling-water nuclear reactors, with current licenses scheduled to expire Oct. 26, 2024, for Unit 1, and June 22, 2029, for Unit 2. Exelon’s application was officially submitted June 22 (2011), exactly 13 years ahead of the Unit 1 license deadline. It now is accessible to the public through the NRC’s electronic documents systems, known as the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System.
Public users interested in the documents should search for “accession number ML111790800″ on the NRC website, here, Sheehan said. Help in using the system is available from staff members in the NRC Public Document Room by calling either 800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737. They also can be reached by e-mail, here.
NRC staff members currently are conducting an initial review of the application to determine whether it contains enough information required for a formal review. If it passes the agency’s muster, the NRC will formally “docket,” or file the application and will announce an opportunity to request a public hearing, Sheehan said.
Related (to federal re-licensing of Limerick Generating Station):
- Police Detail At Limerick Hearings Cost $1,468
- Local Voices Endorse, Worry Over Nuclear Relicensing
- NRC Holds Public Meetings Thursday At Sunnybrook
- NRC Holds Public Meetings Sept. 22 At Sunnybrook
- NRC Legal Notice: Meetings Ahead At Sunnybrook
- NRC Staffers Stop By, Say ‘Hi’ To Commissioners
- Exelon Nuclear Renewals Win Two Early Endorsements
- Exelon Officially Asks To Extend LGS Operating Licenses
- Meeting Wednesday To Review Limerick Nuclear Safety
- LGS License Renewals Topic At May Chamber Breakfast
Rather than just allowing the License to be renewed we residents ought to insist on an independent inspection and overall evaluation as to the state of the plant and it’s equipment. Having a handle on what’s worn out and what needsto be replaced. The plant was built in an era where computers and monitoring was ancient in comparison to toadys systems. We might insist that certain osolete systems and equipment be replaced or rehabed in order that the plant moves safely for another extended period of production.
One issue we ought to all worry about is the expended fuels being stored and the long term plans for their removal and dispositions.
I would like to see the expended fuels casks removed and shipped away so that we don’t have a couple of pools full of rods that are hot and radioactive for the far future doing little for us.
Some though might also be given to seeing where the plant might make better use of it’s heat product other than just turning a steam turbine. Perhaps they could sell hot water to the nearby communities for heating, etc…