Agenda - 03-29-2007- - Laserfiche WebLink

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High density storage in pools remains the most popular technology for storing the mounting inventory of spent nuclear power plant fuel at US nuclear power plants. The NRC and the nuclear power industry continue to refuse to recognize and address plant terrorism and security vulnerabilities. Nuclear power plants, and. particularly the Shearon Harris plant, continue to experience alarming and dangerous failures of equipment and normal site security measures. Insofar as Shearon Harris plant is concerned, CP&L/ Progress Energy has submitted a "Letter of Intent to Apply for License Renewal" for the plant to the NRC. The application itself, expected to be submitted in a October-December 2006 timeframe, will be seeking a 20 -year extension of Shearon Harris' current operating license (expires in 2026).. There is no state regulatory control that will apply to the license renewal, but the NRC evaluation process is anticipated to take approximately 30 months (see the attached exhibit for the Pilgrim nuclear power plant permitting. schedule). CP&L/Progress Energy has also indicated to the NRC and the public that it is planning to embark on the process to develop two new reactors at Shearon Harris. The plan to construct new nuclear generators (and new coal fired generators as well) was opposed by.a number of environmental/conservation groups at this year's (May, June) annual Integrated Resource Planning hearings held by the NC Utilities Commission (see attached Utilities Commission docket). However, in a ruling issued on August 31, 2006, the Utilities Commission found that it could not agree with a "proposed adoption of a blanket policy against the construction of any new nuclear or fossil-fired plants .. (see page 29 of the attached NCUC docket). Information published on the NRC website indicates that NRC staff expects CP&L/Progress Energy to submit a Combined License Application (COL- a permit, which authorizes the construction and conditional operation of a nuclear power facility) for two reactors in FY 2008. On a separate regulatory track, the. NC Utilities Commission (NCUC) would have to approve the development of new reactors (or power plants using any technology). The process to obtain NCUC approval (in the form of an Electric Generation Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to Construct) would be initiated subsequent to the granting of the COL and would involve the North Carolina environmental clearinghouse review process, public *hearings, etc. Accordingly, CP&L/Progress Energy officials have indicated that the utility will be holding a number of "Town Hall"-type meetirigs to make its case to the public for the need for more nuclear power. As CP&L/Progress Energy moves forward with process of re-licensing its existing plant and developing ng new reactors, there remain a number of unresolved safety and operational issues at the existing plant, including: • Potential failures in the backup core cooling system stemming. from known design flaws involving insufficient recirculation of cooling water; and • Elevated risk of core meltdown stemming from loss of off-sitepower coincidental with the failure of on-site emergency generators;. and • Faulty materials protecting the reactor cooling system; and