Communities around the St. Lucie nuclear plant are preparing for an influx of temporary workers as Florida Power and Light continues its reactor uprate program.
With the Nuclear Regulatory Commission reporting it expects to approve 11.9 percent extended power uprates at unit 1 this month and at unit two in the third quarter of this year, the utility is making reactor upgrades expected to add millions of construction dollars to the local economy. Likewise, the Palm Beach Post reported Thursday that at varying points, some 4,000 temporary workers are expected to join the project.
Work on unit 1 took place from November to April, the paper reported, and 24-7 work at unit 2 is expected to take place from August through November.
The St. Lucie uprate follows uprates at FPL's Turkey Point plant last year. Uprates at all four reactors at the plants have been estimated to cost a total of $3.15 billion.