NRC Issues Final Environmental Impact Statement for Grand Gulf

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued its final environmental impact statement on the proposed early site permit (ESP) for the Grand Gulf site in Mississippi. The NRC found no environmental impacts that would prevent issuing an ESP for the site.

The ESP process allows a company to obtain advance approval of a site for a new reactor, allowing it to defer the decision to build until later.

System Energy Resources Inc. (SERI), a subsidiary of Entergy Nuclear, filed its ESP application with the NRC in 2003. If approved, the ESP gives SERI up to 20 years to decide whether to build a new reactor at Grand Gulf and then to file an application with the NRC for approval to begin construction. The NRC said it expects to complete the entire review process for Grand Gulf early in 2007.

The NRC currently is considering two early site permits, for Exelon’s Clinton site in Illinois and Dominion’s North Anna site in Virginia.

Read the full environmental impact statement here.

This is exciting stuff - stay tuned!

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