NRC Approves Indian Point Unit 3 Operation While Seeking License Renewal

CORTLANDT, N.Y. -- Entergy Corporation has received permission from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to continue to operate the Indian Point nuclear power plant’s Unit 3 under its existing license, while pursuing a license renewal.

The current 40-year license would have expired this weekend.
Photo Credit: *Entergy Nuclear*

K Reakes

12/10/2015 5:45 p.m.

Indian Point Unit 3’s initial 40-year license would have expired at midnight on Saturday, had Entergy not applied for a renewed license eight years ago. Energy can continue to operate the plant under the federal government’s “timely renewal” provision and until the NRC makes a final determination on the company’s license renewal request.

A final decision on Indian Point’s license renewal application is not expected for several years. NRC Staff has spent more than 37,000 hours in reviews and inspections related to Indian Point’s license renewal application. The details of the NRC’s notice about timely renewal were communicated in a publicly available inspection report issued in late November, which can be viewed here.

The other operating plant at Indian Point, Unit 2, received a similar approval from the NRC in September 2013 prior to it entering the period beyond its initial 40-year license. Since purchasing the plants, the company has invested more than $1 billion upgrading and enhancing the facility and preparing the plants for continued safe operation during the 20-year period of a renewed operating license.

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