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. 04-071 June 10, 2004

NRC BOARD TO HOLD PREHEARING CONFERENCE JUNE 21 - 23

IN ROCKVILLE, MD., ON EARLY SITE PERMIT APPLICATIONS

A Nuclear Regulatory Commission Atomic Safety and Licensing Board will hold a prehearing

conference June 21 - 23 in Rockville, Maryland, in connection with proceedings involving three

applications for early site permits for new nuclear power plants.

The early site permit process provides an opportunity for possible resolution of site-related

issues regarding possible future construction and operation of a nuclear power plant at a site selected

by an applicant. If the NRC approves an early site permit request, the company holding the permit

could reference it at any time for up to 20 years in an application with the NRC for approval to begin

construction.

The three early site permit applications are from:

-- Dominion Nuclear North Anna, LLC, for the North Anna power plant site near Mineral,

Va.;

-- Exelon Generation Company, LLC, for the Clinton nuclear power plant site, near

Clinton, Il.; and

-- System Energy Resources, Inc. for the Grand Gulf site in Port Gibson, Miss.

No applications to build new power plants on these sites have been received, but there are

currently operating reactors at each site.

The conference will begin at 9:30 a.m. EDT each day at the NRC Auditorium, Two White Flint

North, 11545 Rockville Pike. Members of the public may attend and observe the proceedings, but

participation will be limited to the NRC staff, the applicants and individuals and groups who have

petitioned to participate in hearings on the permit applications. Participants and members of the public

should arrive early at the Two White Flint North building to allow time for security screening and an

escort to the auditorium.

Those who have petitioned to intervene in one or more of the applications include the Blue

Ridge Environmental Defense League, Nuclear Information and Resource Service, Public Citizen,

Environmental Law and Policy Center, the Claiborne County (Miss.) branch of the National

Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Mississippi Chapter of the Sierra Club. 
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The conference will focus on arguments for and against the admissibility to the hearing of several

issues or contentions raised by these groups.

Members of the licensing board are G. Paul Bollwerk, III, Chairman; Paul B. Abramson and

Anthony Baratta.

Any person who is not a party to the proceeding may submit comments in writing, known as

written limited appearance statements, on issues in the proceeding. The statements can be submitted at

any time and should be sent to the Office of the Secretary, Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff, U.S.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555-0001; or to the Office of the Secretary by

fax (301/415-1101) or e-mail (hearingdocket@nrc.gov ). A copy should also be sent to the Licensing

Board Chairman at the following address: Administrative Judge G. Paul Bollwerk, III, Atomic Safety

and Licensing Board Panel, Mail Stop T-3F23, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington,

D.C. 20555-0001; or to Judge Bollwerk by fax (301/415-4499) or e-mail (gpb@nrc.gov ).

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