NRC NEWS

 U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 

 Office of Public Affairs Telephone: 301/415-8200

 Washington, DC 20555-001 E-mail: opa@nrc.gov 

 Web Site: http://www.nrc.gov/OPA

No. 01-073 June 21, 2001

NRC RENEWS LICENSE FOR ARKANSAS NUCLEAR ONE, UNIT 1

FOR AN ADDITIONAL 20 YEARS 

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has renewed the operating license for Unit 1 of the

Arkansas Nuclear One nuclear power plant near Russellville. It is operated by Entergy Operations, Inc.

The Commission unanimously approved the license extension following a review of staff

recommendations.

Entergy submitted an application to the NRC on January 31, 2000, to renew the license for

Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 1, which expires on May 20, 2014. The NRC conducted an extensive

review of the license renewal application in accordance with Parts 51 and 54 of Title 10 of the Code of

Federal Regulations.

The NRCís environmental review, under Part 51, is described in a site-specific supplement to

the NRCís ìGeneric Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Power Plants,î

(NUREG-1437, Supplement 3). In this Final Environmental Impact Statement, issued on April 12, the

staff concluded that there were no impacts that would preclude renewal of the license for environmental

reasons.

In the ìSafety Evaluation Report Related to the License Renewal of Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit

1,î (NUREG-1743) issued in June, the staff concluded that there were no safety concerns that would

preclude license renewal, because the licensee had demonstrated the capability to manage the effects of

plant aging.

In addition, the NRC conducted two inspections of the plant to verify information submitted by

the licensee.

On May 16, the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards -- an independent body of technical

experts which advises the Commission -- issued its recommendation that the operating license for

Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 1, be renewed. That recommendation is contained in the ìReport on the

Safety Aspects of the License Renewal Application for Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 1.î

Copies of these documents and others relating to the license renewal will be available at:
http://www.nrc.gov/OPA/reports/renewal.htm on the agencyís web site. A copy of the staffís

recommendation on the renewal of Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 1, which contains the license conditions

for the facility, will be available at the same web site as well as in the NRC Public Document Room at

the agency's One White Flint North Building, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland; telephone 1-

800-397-4209 or (301) 415-4737. 

NRC renewed the operating licenses for both units of the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant

near Lusby, Maryland, for an additional 20 years on March 23, 2000, and renewed the operating

licenses for the three units of the Oconee Nuclear Station near Seneca, South Carolina, for an additional

20 years on May 23, 2000. The agency is currently reviewing license renewal applications for Hatch

Units 1 and 2, operated by the Southern Nuclear Operating Company, near Baxley, Georgia; Turkey

Point Units 3 and 4, operated by Florida Power & Light Co., near Florida City; Virginia Electric &

Power Co.ís Surry Units 1 and 2, near Surry, Va., and North Anna Units 1 and 2, 40 miles northwest of

Richmond; and Duke Power Co.ís McGuire Units 1 and 2, near Charlotte, North Carolina, and

Catawba Units 1 and 2, near Rock Hill, South Carolina.

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