NRC completes environmental review of Crane restart

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued for public comment a draft environmental assessment and draft finding of no significant impact - known as a FONSI - from its evaluation of the "reasonably foreseeable" environmental effects from the proposed reauthorisation of power operations at the plant, formerly called Three Mile Island unit 1 - in June.

The environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact have been issued by the NRC, as the lead agency, and the Office of Energy Dominance Financing, as a cooperating agency: last year, the Office of Energy Dominance Financing closed a USD1 billion loan to Constellation Energy Generation, LLC to help finance the project to partially finance the restart of the 835 MWe reactor which was shut down for decommissioning in 2019.

"Two years ago, we announced our plan to bring the Crane Clean Energy Center back online and restore a critical source of dependable energy and positive economic impact to Central Pennsylvania. Since then, hundreds of dedicated employees, skilled craft workers, contractors, and local partners have joined forces with the shared mission of turning that commitment into reality. Thanks to their dedication, the restart remains ahead of schedule, and we’re on track to return 835 megawatts of dependable, emissions-free power to the grid in 2027," Constellation told World Nuclear News.

At the time of its closure in 2019, Three Mile Island unit 1 had a renewed operating licence that was valid until 2034. Constellation has submitted for NRC approval an exemption request and three license amendment requests in support of allowing the resumption of power operations to 19 April 2034 - the previous expiration date of the facility's renewed operating licence. The company has previously said it will also look to extend operations beyond that, to 2054.