HANCOCKS BRIDGE, N.J.,
May 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- PSEG
Power and PSEG Nuclear today filed an Early Site Permit (ESP)
application with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) as
part of PSEG's ongoing efforts exploring the possibility of
building an additional nuclear plant.
"This is an important first step in the regulatory process to
determine if a new plant is viable," explained PSEG Power President
Bill Levis. "Though it is not a
commitment to build, it would determine that the location we have
identified for a potential new plant is suitable from a safety,
environmental and emergency planning standpoint."
The preferred location for a potential new plant would be
adjacent to PSEG Nuclear's Salem
and Hope Creek Generating Stations now in operation in Lower
Alloways Creek, Salem County.
The site is currently the second largest nuclear facility in
the United States.
An ESP is valid for 20 years and can potentially be renewed for
an additional 10 to 20 years. PSEG would need to submit and receive
approval from the NRC for a Combined Operating License (COL) in
order to actually construct and operate a new plant.
The application utilizes a Plant Parameter Envelope for the
site, acknowledging that a variety of possible plant designs could
be accommodated at the proposed location. This will allow PSEG to
qualify the site for potential future development without selecting
a specific reactor technology.
"Nuclear power is a proven technology and meets our country's
needs for clean central station power that limits our impact on the
environment," said Levis. "Filing an ESP allows us to explore an
increased role for nuclear power in combating climate change now
and in the future."
A dedicated nuclear development team has spent the past two and
a half years developing the ESP application that is approximately
4000 pages. The application's safety review considers a number of
site factors including seismology, hydrology, population
distribution and emergency preparedness. The environmental review
evaluates the impacts of construction and operation of a nuclear
power plant at the proposed site.
As part of PSEG's outreach to the community, a working group of
local elected officials has been formed to begin discussing the
potential impacts of a new plant on the local community.
"Though we are early in the regulatory process, our plans to
continue exploring a possible new nuclear plant has been well
received in the local community," said Levis. "We value our
relationship with our local stakeholders and will continue to keep
them informed through this process."
A new plant would have a major economic impact on Salem County and the entire state of
New Jersey. PSEG Nuclear is
already Salem County's largest
employer providing more than 1,500 jobs. According to the Nuclear
Energy Institute, a new nuclear plant could generate up to 4,000
jobs during construction and anywhere from 400 to 700 permanent
jobs when operational.
As part of the regulatory process, the NRC hosted a public
meeting in early May to educate the public on the ESP process. The
NRC is expected to take three years to review the ESP application.
To date, the agency has issued four ESPs with a fifth application
currently under review. PSEG's application is now the sixth ESP
application.
PSEG Nuclear is a part of PSEG Power, one of the nation's
largest independent power producers and a subsidiary of Public
Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (PSEG/NYSE: PEG), a
diversified energy holding company.
PSEG's other primary subsidiaries are Public Service Electric
and Gas Company (PSE&G), New
Jersey's oldest and largest energy distribution utility
company, and PSEG Energy Holdings, a holding company for other
non-regulated businesses.
PSEG has a long tradition of caring for New Jersey's people and communities.
Each year, the company and its employees invest millions of
dollars and thousands of hours to improve the quality of life in
New Jersey. The company's
culture dictates that service to customers and community go
hand-in-hand.
Want to know what's new at PSEG? Go to
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SOURCE PSEG Nuclear