River Bend application in

26 September 2008

GE-Hitachi is celebrating the third application to build one of its nuclear power plants in a month. Entergy has applied to build an ESBWR power unit at River Bend.

 

River Bend 
River Bend
Entergy filed the 13,000-page document with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) yesterday, hoping it could result in a 1520 MWe ESBWR unit being built alongside River Bend's existing 967 MWe reactor. Entergy has already applied to build the same design at its Grand Gulf nuclear power plant.

 

The utility, like all similar companies making these applications, emphasised that nothing was decided. "Taking this step now will preserve the option to build nuclear plants in the future and meet the future energy needs of our customers," said Renae Conley, while a company statement underlined that "...Entergy has made no commitment to build a new nuclear reactor at either site."

 

The NRC will now check over the combined construction and operating licence application before officially docketing it as the 15th in the potential new wave of nuclear build. The NRC has said it will take 36 to 42 months to review each application. All the documentation is available to the public on the NRC website and there will also be a 60-day public comment opportunity for each potential new reactor.

 

Separately the ESBWR design is undergoing final design certification with the NRC.

 

Two other applications to build an ESBWR have recently been lodged with the NRC: on 18 September by Detroit Edison applied to build one at the Fermi nuclear power plant; and on 4 September Exelon applied to build two at a new site near Victoria, Texas.

 

The unit is also planned for deployment at Dominion's North Anna site and could be used at Turkey Point, owned by Florida Power & Light.