Imagine your driver’s license is about to expire. If you are still able to safely drive and rely on your car as a means of transportation, you take the necessary steps to renew your license. Although your driver’s license may be valid for just a handful of years, your ability to safely drive does not expire just because your license does.
Similar to a driver’s license, a nuclear reactor’s operating license term of 40 years doesn’t signify the end of a reactor’s ability to operate. Following a rigorous and extensive review by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, nuclear plants can extend their initial operating licenses for up to 20 years at a time. Since most nuclear plants in the U.S. have already renewed their operating license once, many plants are now applying to renew their license a second time, for another 20-year period.
While the first second license renewal license was just approved by the NRC in December 2019 after an 18-month period of review, applications are predicted to soar in the coming years. In fact, according to a survey of nuclear plant operators in March 2020, 55 out of our country’s 95 reactors have already applied for or are expected to apply for a second license renewal by 2035.
While these plants are maintained in pristine condition over their lifetimes, with many components being replaced or upgraded, part of the license renewal application process involves an additional set of rigorous plant inspections beyond the inspections that are conducted every year, environmental impact reviews as well as extensive risk assessments. All of these steps ensure that the power plant is set to meet the most stringent safety standards and safely operate throughout their licensing period and beyond.
Why are SLRs necessary?
As many of the United States’ nuclear power plants approach the expiration of their licensing periods in the next 20 years, SLRs must be granted to ensure that the environmental and security benefits gained from nuclear are preserved and furthered.
Nearly 55% of our nation’s carbon-free energy comes from nuclear power plants. If nuclear plants are prematurely shut down, they are more likely to be replaced by fossil fuels than carbon-free sources of energy, leading to significant increases in greenhouse gas emissions. When plants have shut down, there have been significant increases in carbon and decreases in air quality, affecting the lives and health of local communities.
With many companies and utilities making decarbonization pledges and promising climate action, preserving our nuclear plants becomes even more important as companies recognize the vital role of nuclear in ensuring these goals are met. In September of 2019, Duke Energy, which has a diverse mix of carbon-free energy sources including wind, solar and nuclear, announced their commitment to achieving a net-zero carbon emissions goal by 2050. Two days later, they announced their intent to renew the operating licenses of all 11 nuclear reactors that they operate, saying that keeping their nuclear fleet operating is key to achieving these goals.
Which plants have received an SLR?
Four reactors at two sites have received SLRs as of June 2020. In December of 2019, Florida Power & Light’s Turkey Point Units 3 and 4 were the first units to receive second license renewals, allowing them to operate until July 2052, and April 2053, respectively.
In March of 2020, Exelon’s Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station was the second site to receive second license renewals for their two units, which are now licensed to operate until August 2053 and July 2054. In both Florida and Pennsylvania, nuclear plants are especially critical to carbon-free energy generation; the plants in these states generate more than 90% of the state’s carbon-free energy.
What comes next?
With over half of our nation’s nuclear power plants reaching the end of their initial license period, many plant operators are moving forward with their second license renewal applications. Dominion Energy has recently applied for an SLR for Surry Units 1 and 2, located in Virginia, and is expecting to receive the approvals in June of 2020.
As more SLRs are issued, it’s important to consider their role in building our carbon-free future. When a nuclear power plant is forced into early retirement, our nation loses a valuable resource of carbon-free energy, national security and jobs. We cannot afford to close nuclear power plants prematurely if we are serious about working towards a decarbonized future.
