NRC panel to consider canal temperature issue at Turkey Point nuclear plant

December 30, 2015 Wayne Barber Generation

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Atomic Safety and Licensing Board will hold a hearing Jan. 11-12 in Florida to consider a citizen suit challenge to proposed changes in the temperature level for the canal system at the Turkey Point nuclear power plant.

NextEra Energy (NYSE:NEE) utility subsidiary Florida Power & Light (FPL) has proposed a license amendment that would increase the “ultimate heat sink water temperature” for the canal serving the two Turkey Point nuclear units near Homestead, Fla. The canal is the source of cooling water for the power station.

The proposed change is opposed by Citizens Allied for Safe Energy (CASE). CASE claims that the environmental assessment done by the NRC staff was inadequate.

The two Turkey Point nuclear units are pressurized water reactors (PWRs) that are now licensed to operate until 2032 and 2033.

The hearing is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 11 at the Hampton Inn & Suites in Homestead, Fla.

About Wayne Barber 4201 Articles

Wayne Barber, Chief Analyst for the GenerationHub, has been covering power generation, energy and natural resources issues at national publications for more than 20 years. Prior to joining PennWell he was editor of Generation Markets Week at SNL Financial for nine years. He has also worked as a business journalist at both McGraw-Hill and Financial Times Energy. Wayne also worked as a newspaper reporter for several years. During his career has visited nuclear reactors and coal mines as well as coal and natural gas power plants. Wayne can be reached at wayneb@pennwell.com.