NRC Terminates Construction Permits for Unfinished Bellefonte Nuclear Plants

September 25, 2006 // Published as a news service by IHS

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) request to terminate the construction permits for the unfinished Bellefonte Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2.

TVA requested the termination in a letter dated April 6.

The NRC granted the construction permits for Bellefonte, a dual-unit pressurized water reactor plant, in 1974.

By 1988, when TVA deferred completion of the plant, Unit 1 was approximately 88% complete, and Unit 2 was approximately 58% complete.

An NRC inspection in 1992 determined there was no nuclear fuel on the site. The Bellefonte site is located on approximately 1,600 acres adjacent to the Tennessee River near Hollywood, Ala.

The NRC published its environmental assessment on the termination, with a finding of no significant impacts, in the Federal Register.

As part of its findings, the agency concluded that terminating the construction permits and the TVA's limited site redress activities would not have a significant effect on the quality of the environment.

During the NRC review, TVA stated it intends to continue using existing environmental permits at the site, as well as maintain major plant components such as water intake and discharge facilities, cooling towers and transmission switchyards.

TVA indicated the existing containment, turbine and auxiliary buildings would be left in place, while unnecessary structures such as warehouses would be disassembled, abandoned or demolished.

TVA also indicated it would continue conducting periodic site inspections to ensure none of the equipment or materials are causing environmental or health problems.

Source: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

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NRC Terminates Construction Permits for Unfinished Bellefonte Nuclear Plants