Commercial Decommissioning

An article in the Sept. 23 issue of Weapons Complex Morning Briefing should have stated that an internal report by utility Southern California Edison addressed concerns raised by a Nuclear Regulatory Commission inspector about scratching on canisters of used fuel at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station.

By John Stang A federal judge has denied a watchdog organization’s request for a temporary restraining order to halt the transfer of used reactor fuel into dry storage at the retired San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) in California. U.S. District Court Judge Janis Sammartino on Monday also gave the defendants until Sept. 20 to file motions […]

The United Kingdom’s Nuclear Decommissioning Authority last week formally assumed management of the company that is decommissioning the nation’s Magnox reactors. Magnox Ltd. shifted just before midnight on Aug. 31 from the privately operated Cavendish Fluor Partnership to the nondepartmental executive agency of the U.K. government. “This is a very exciting time for Magnox,” new […]

By John Stang An activist organization is legally challenging the movement of spent fuel at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) in California as too dangerous to the public. The Aug. 29 lawsuit from Public Watchdogs in U.S. District Court for Southern California seeks to nullify SONGS’ current decommissioning plan; to have the site’s […]

Massachusetts’ government on Tuesday pressed the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for “a stay of the effectiveness” of agency staff’s approval of the license transfer and decommissioning trust fund exemption for the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station. Former owner Entergy completed the sale of the retired single-reactor plant to Holtec International on Aug. 26 after receiving NRC […]

Three members of Massachusetts’ congressional delegation want the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to keep emergency preparedness and planning regulations in place for the retired Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station. Staff at the agency has already recommended that Pilgrim be exempt from certain regulations following the end of operations and removal of used fuel from the reactor. Power […]

An activist organization is legally challenging the movement of used nuclear fuel at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) in California as too dangerous to the public. The Aug. 29 lawsuit from San Diego-based Public Watchdogs in U.S. District Court for Southern California seeks an order requiring the NRC to put a hold on decommissioning […]

The United Kingdom’s Nuclear Decommissioning Authority as of Monday has assumed management of the company that is decommissioning the nation’s Magnox reactors. Magnox Ltd. shifted from the privately operated Cavendish Fluor Partnership to the nondepartmental executive agency of the U.K. government. “This is a very exciting time for Magnox,” new CEO Gwen Parry-Jones said in […]

By John Stang Workers at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) in California have successfully moved the first two canisters of used reactor fuel to dry storage since restarting transfers on July 18. A third canister is on deck to begin movement this week. Officials with plant majority owner Southern California Edison (SCE) on Aug. […]

The commonwealth of Massachusetts is objecting to an upcoming U.S Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff order allowing the license transfer for the retired Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station. The order, expected as early as this week, would enable owner Entergy to sell the plant to Holtec International for decommissioning. The ruling could come even before the federal […]

By John Stang The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission should disregard the commonwealth of Massachusetts’ request for a 90-day stay on its review of the license transfer application for the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, the plant’s owner and prospective buyer said Monday. Entergy and Holtec International argued that the delay is not needed even as they […]

The commonwealth of Massachusetts on Thursday asked the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to place a 90-day stay on its consideration of the license transfer application for the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station. The hold is needed to allow officials from Massachusetts and the plant’s owner and prospective buyer to reach a potential settlement addressing concerns the […]

A federal court has awarded two southern utilities over $143 million for the U.S. government’s continued failure to meet its legal obligation to remove used reactor fuel from their nuclear power facilities. The June 12 ruling from U.S. Court of Federal Claims Judge Patricia Campbell-Smith was made public on July 3. The case consolidates lawsuits […]

By John Stang FirstEnergy Solutions will keep its two Ohio reactors open after the state this week approved a $150 million annual boost to the financially struggling company. After months of debate and revisions to the bill in the Ohio Legislature, it was sent to Gov. Mike DeWine (R) for a quick signature on Tuesday. […]

Nuclear services firm EnergySolutions on Tuesday announced its first foray into the burgeoning business for buying retired nuclear power plants for decommissioning. The Salt Lake City-based company said it had inked a term sheet with a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. for the asset transfer of reactor Unit 2 at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating […]

FirstEnergy Solutions will keep its two Ohio reactors open after the state this week approved a $150 million annual boost to the financially struggling company. The Akron-based power provider announced Wednesday afternoon it would halt preparations for deactivating the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station in Oak Harbor and the Perry Nuclear Power Plant in Perry. Without the […]

The Ohio state government on Tuesday approved a $150 million annual bailout for FirstEnergy Solutions’ two nuclear power plants in the state. The Ohio House of Representatives voted 51-38 to approve its bill following recent modifications by the state Senate. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) then quickly signed the measure into law. The bill translates […]

Southern California Edison on Monday resumed transferring used reactor fuel at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) into dry storage. The 30th of 77 storage canisters was this week placed in the expanded independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI) at the retired San Diego County nuclear power plant. The project in total is expected to […]

By John Stang FirstEnergy Solutions (FES) on Wednesday came closer to securing passage of a sought-after bailout bill for two struggling nuclear power plants in Ohio. But potential full approval of the state legislation is not expected until Aug. 1, which would be two weeks after the company’s Wednesday deadline. The Ohio legislature adjourned for […]

FirstEnergy Solutions (FES) on Wednesday came closer to securing passage of a sought-after bailout bill for two struggling nuclear power plants in Ohio. But potential full passage of the state legislation is not expected until Aug. 1 at the earliest, which would be two weeks after the company’s Wednesday deadline. On Wednesday, the Ohio Senate […]

Southern California Edison (SCE) on Monday resumed transferring used reactor fuel at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) into dry storage. The restart follows a nearly yearlong recovery from a high-profile mishap in moving one spent-fuel canister. On Aug. 3, 2018, the container of fuel assemblies became lodged on the shield ring of its […]

U.S. Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.) said he used a meeting last week with U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Kristine Svinicki to renew his call for increased federal oversight at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS). “As I told the chair, it is imperative that the NRC, Southern California Edison, and Holtec International take concrete […]

By John Stang FirstEnergy Solutions said Monday it would reconsider plans to close two nuclear power plants if the Ohio legislature by July 17 passes a bill that that would create a state subsidy for the bankrupt corporation. The bill is controversial because all of the state’s ratepayers —regardless of whether they are served by […]

FirstEnergy Solutions said Monday it would reconsider closing two nuclear power plants if the Ohio legislature by July 17 passes a bill that would raise electricity rates in the state to provide financial assistance for those facilities and two coal-fired plants. The Akron-based power provider’s previous deadline was Sunday, which went by with the rate-increase […]

Finalized state legislation to financially support two nuclear power plants in Ohio failed to materialize by the Sunday deadline set by owner FirstEnergy Solutions (FES), the Columbus Dispatch reported. It was unknown Sunday whether FES would give state lawmakers more time to complete the bill or would now lock in plans to retire the facilities. […]

U.S. Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.) has reaffirmed his call for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to post a full-time inspector at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) until completion of the used reactor fuel offload at the retired power plant. The lawmaker, whose congressional district covers SONGS, cited a list of safety issues dating back […]

By John Stang Legislation intended to help FirstEnergy Solutions (FES) keep two nuclear power plants financially afloat is in the late stages of consideration by the Ohio General Assembly. At the same time, FES has asked the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to approve transfers of the licenses for its Ohio and Pennsylvania facilities to a newly […]

The California Coastal Commission postponed its scheduled consideration this week of a permit that would allow primary decommissioning operations to begin at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS). The permit had been on the agenda for Wednesday, the first day of the commission’s three-day June meeting in San Diego. The discussion has been pushed […]

The Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station shut down permanently last week. Entergy hopes by the end of the year to sell the Cape Cod property to Holtec International, which would assume all responsibility for cleanup and spent fuel management, along with the trust fund that will pay for the work. The final curtain fell after deadline last […]

The movement of used nuclear fuel at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station is expected to begin again in early 2020. Fuel movement was expected to begin in a few weeks and conclude between February and April, Doug Bauder, Southern California Edison’s (SCE) chief nuclear officer at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), said […]