CRYSTAL RIVER TO GO SAFESTOR

Duke Energy announced yesterday that it has chosen SAFESTOR as its decommissioning method for its Crystal River nuclear station. The decommissioning plan, which has been submitted to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, calls for the plant, located about 80 miles north of Tampa Bay, to sit under surveillance until 2074 so that radioactivity levels can decrease. “Decommissioning the Crystal River nuclear plant will be a well-defined process, with significant NRC oversight,” said Duke Energy Crystal River decommissioning director Terry Hobbs in a release. “Nuclear safety will remain Duke Energy’s top priority. The plant will remain in a safe, stable condition, and our comprehensive emergency plan and 24/7 security force will remain in place.” The plan estimates that the decommissioning of the plant will cost $1.18 billion, a number that Duke feels comfortable to have when active decommissioning starts. Duke decided to enter premature shutdown of the Crystal River plant after discovering separations within the concrete of its containment building in 2011. After a thorough cost-benefit analysis, the company decided to shut the plant down earlier this year rather than make the costly repairs to the facility.