Application for First New Nuclear Plant in Nearly Three Decades Submitted
NRG Energy, Inc. and South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company (STPNOC) have filed an application to build the first new nuclear plant in 29 years, citing economic and environmental benefits compared to fossil-fueled plants.
NRG Energy, Inc. and South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company (STPNOC) have filed an application to build the first new nuclear plant in 29 years, citing economic and environmental benefits compared to fossil-fueled plants.
The total rated capacity of the new units, STP 3 and 4, will equal or exceed 2,700 megawatts (MWs) - enough to power more than two million homes. NRG expects to bring the units on line in 2014 and 2015.
"Advanced nuclear technology is the only currently viable large-scale alternative to traditional coal-fueled generation to produce none of the traditional air emissions--and most importantly in this age of climate change--no carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases," says David Crane, NRG's President and Chief Executive Officer.
STP 3 and 4 are being developed as part of the Company's RepoweringNRG initiative to build approximately 10,000 MW of new, highly efficient, clean power generation facilities that leverage NRG's existing facilities' infrastructure, support a diverse fuel mix to reduce foreign energy dependence, and implement technologies that reduce NRG's carbon intensity.
The South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company, which currently operates units 1 and 2, will operate the new units as well.
The U.S. Department of Energy projects that the United States will need 40 percent more electricity by 2030. According to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), energy needs in Texas alone will grow by 10,000 MWs by 2014. STP 3 and 4 will help meet this growing demand without increasing U.S. dependence on foreign sources of oil. These new units also will help reduce demands on domestic supplies of natural gas, on which Texas currently depends on for most of its power generation requirements.
The STP site in Matagorda County, Texas is considered to by experts to be one of the best sites in America for nuclear expansion. The 12,220-acre site and 7,000-acre cooling reservoir were originally designed for four units. The two new units will be built adjacent to the currently operating STP units 1 and 2.
NRG has chosen Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR) technology for the new units to be built at the STP site. The technology reflects 50 years of continued evolution of boiling water reactor (BWR) technology and combines the best features of the worldwide BWR fleet with advanced technology enhancements that improve safety, performance and longevity. ABWR technology is certified by the NRC and has an impressive construction and operational track record. This includes setting world records for construction time and bringing the units in on budget.
Four ABWR units have been successfully commissioned in Japan, with another three units under construction in Taiwan and Japan. The Tokyo Electric Power Company, Inc. has more than a decade of experience in ABWR operations and has provided their expertise to supporting STP's planned two-unit expansion.
With the application submitted, the NRC begins an estimated two-month acceptance review process. It is then anticipated that the NRC could take up to 42 months for its detailed review process including staff discovery, site visits, company responses, hearings and NRC Environmental Impact Statements. Assuming this schedule, NRG would hope to receive its license approval and begin construction in 2010. With this time frame, STP unit 3 should come on line in 2014 and unit 4 in 2015.
The project is expected to generate more than $9 billion of economic benefit principally in the South Texas area, require 4,000 to 6,000 construction workers, and result in about 800 new operating staff positions at the plant, according to NRG.
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