Limerick Generating Station Receives Extended Operating License

The following was provided to Patch:

On Monday, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) announced approval of Limerick Generating Station’s license renewal application. The approval is the culmination of a rigorous, multi-year process that includes comprehensive design reviews and inspections. The license renewal allows Limerick to operate 20 years beyond its original 40-year operating licenses, which were set to expire in 2024 for Unit 1 and 2029 for Unit 2.

“Today’s announcement is great news for Limerick employees, our customers and the community,” said Tom Dougherty, Limerick site vice president. “We are committed to running the plant at world-class levels through 2049, providing clean, safe, reliable energy while powering the local economy.”

Limerick Generating Station generates 2,345 megawatts of clean and reliable electricity, enough for approximately two million homes. Limerick also reduces the region’s reliance on fossil fuels and reduces greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming. According to a report by Continental Economics based on 2010 data, if Limerick were retired from service, annual carbon dioxide emissions would increase by 13.2 million tons, equivalent to putting more than 2.5 million cars on the road.

“I am very happy that the NRC renewed Limerick’s operating license,” said Mariea Geho, East Coventry Township Supervisor. “The community has benefitted greatly from our partnership with Exelon. Limerick is a good neighbor and I am very pleased that the plant will be operating for future generations.”

Exelon personnel collectively spent 60,000 hours preparing the 2,000-page license renewal application that was submitted to the NRC on June 22, 2011. This process involved review of thousands of documents, a detailed review of historical equipment and component performance, and a rigorous review of the existing maintenance and engineering programs to ensure that the station is capable of maintaining plant systems over the extended license period.

The plant’s original 40-year operating license was set to expire in 2024 for Unit 1 and 2029 for Unit 2. The 40-year term for initial nuclear plant operating licenses was based on amortization schedules to finance large utility projects, not on safety, technical or environmental considerations. The Atomic Energy Act of 1954, the original legislation authorizing civilian use of nuclear energy, permits nuclear power plants to renew their operating licenses.