The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has made available to the public an Early Site Permit (ESP) application for the Victoria County site near Victoria, Texas
– Source NRC –
The applicant, Exelon, submitted the application and associated information on March 25. The application, minus proprietary and security-related details, is available on the NRC Web site at: http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/esp/victoria.html.
Exelon’s ESP application seeks resolution of safety and environmental issues for the site, approximately 13 miles south of Victoria. The NRC staff is currently conducting an initial check of the application to determine whether it contains sufficient information required for a formal review. If the application passes the initial check, the NRC will “docket,” or accept it for review; this decision is expected by late May. If the application is accepted, the NRC will then announce an opportunity for the public to request an adjudicatory hearing on the application.
On November 24, 2008, Exelon informed the NRC that it was considering alternate reactor design technologies and would revise their application after the decision was made in early 2009. Based on this input, the staff suspended further work on the application, with the exception of the FEMA reviews.
On July 1, 2009, Exelon notified the NRC that they will pursue an Early Site Permit (ESP) for the proposed Victoria County site. By letter dated October 13, 2009, Exelon notified the NRC that it planned to submit an ESP application in late March 2010. The application would use the plant parameter envelope approach (no reactor design selected) for two units, will include complete emergency plans (previously reviewed, in part, by staff & the Federal Emergency Management Agency for COL application), and will not request a Limited Work Authorization.
More information about the new reactor licensing process is available on the NRC Web site at: http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors.html.