The nuclear industry hasn't done enough to fix longstanding safety issues at its reactor sites, resulting in a facility back-up that needs to be resolved,, the head of the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Thursday.
"It’s a reminder, but also a caution, that we need to be able to identify safety issues and work those to resolution because there will always be new issues that will arise," NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko said.
Protecting nuclear plants against fires and earthquakes are chief among the concerns for Jaczko, who came to Atlanta to speak before the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations.
Jaczko said the agency continues to look at how to safely store used nuclear fuel. The U.S. does not have a centralized site for spent fuel, so utilities must store the waste either in pools of water or contained in dry casks.
The agency has been asked to review whether it is safer for utilities to move more of the fuel rods out of the pools and into dry cask storage, Jaczko said.
"But right now all of our information tells us that this material can be stored safely and securely for a very long period of time," he said.
Georgia Power is part of a group of utilities waiting on key licensing from the NRC before it can begin heavy construction on two nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle near Waynesboro. Georgia Power's sister company, Southern Nuclear, will operate the reactors. The company also operates reactors at Plant Hatch in Georgia and Plant Farley in Alabama.
Georgia Power is responsible for $6.1 billion of the estimated $14 billion project. Customers are paying for the project's financing costs through a nuclear fee tacked on to their utility bills.
The NRC still has to sign off on the design of Westinghouse's AP1000 reactor before it can issue the major construction license. Southern has asked the NRC to issue both decisions at the same time, and Jaczko said the agency is close to responding to the company's request.
He said the NRC hopes to make a decision by the end of the year or early next year.
"Our focus right now is completing our work, making sure all of the information that we have meets all of our rigorous and safety and security standards, and, if it does, we’ll move forward with licenses, and, if not, we’ll do what we need to do," Jaczko said.
"Certainly the staff has found ... they believe that applicant has met our requirements. It's up to the commission to make some final decisions."
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