No. II-07-055 December 26, 2007 

CONTACT: Ken Clark (404)562-4416 E-mail: OPA2@nrc.gov 

 Roger Hannah (404)562-4417 

NRC ISSUES DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR HARRIS 

NUCLEAR PLANT LICENSE RENEWAL; PUBLIC MEETING JAN. 30 

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has reached the preliminary conclusion 

that there are no environmental impacts which would preclude renewal of the operating license 

for the Harris nuclear power plant, operated by Progress Energy southwest of Raleigh, N. C. 

That conclusion is contained in the NRC’s Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement 

for the Harris plant, which was issued on Dec. 11. 

Members of the public will have an opportunity on Jan. 30 to comment on the report at 

two meetings scheduled in Apex, about six miles from the plant site. On Nov. 16, 2006, the 

NRC received an application from Progress Energy to renew the Harris license for an additional 

20 years. The original NRC operating license for a nuclear power plant has a term of 40 years, 

but may be renewed for up to 20 additional years if requirements are met. The current operating 

license for Harris is due to expire on Oct. 24, 2026. 

As part of its license renewal application, the company submitted an environmental 

report. The NRC staff reviewed that report and performed an on-site audit. The staff also 

considered comments made during the environmental scoping process, and at two public 

meetings held on April 18, 2007, in Apex. 

Based on its review, the NRC staff has prepared and issued its draft environmental 

impact statement, which preliminarily recommends that the Commission determine the adverse 

environmental impacts of license renewal for the Harris nuclear plant are not so great that 

preserving the option of license renewal for energy planning decision-makers would be 

unreasonable. This recommendation is based on five factors: 1) the analysis and findings in the 

Generic Environmental Impact Statement used for license renewal reviews; 2) the plant-specific 

environmental report submitted by Progress Energy; 3) NRC consultation with other federal, 

state and local agencies; 4) the NRC staff’s own independent review; and 5) the NRC staff’s 

consideration of public comments received during the environmental scoping process. 

The NRC will hold two meetings on Jan. 30 to accept comments on the report. The first 

meeting will begin at 1:30 p.m. A second meeting will get under way at 7 p.m. Both meetings 

will take place at the New Horizons Fellowship, 820 East Williams Street, Apex. NRC staff will 

be available for an hour prior to the start of each meeting for informal, one-on-one discussions. 

NRC NEWS

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Office of Public Affairs, Region II 

61 Forsyth Street SW, Atlanta GA 30303 

Web Site: www.nrc.gov 
Those interested may pre-register to attend or speak at the meetings by contacting Samuel 

Hernandez, the NRC Environmental Project Manager, by telephone at 1-800-368-5642, 

extension 4049, or by e-mail at ShearonHarrisEIS@nrc.gov by Jan. 23. Members of the public 

may also register 15 minutes before each session to provide oral comments. The duration of 

individual comments may be limited by the number of speakers who register. 

Written comments on the draft report submitted before March 5, 2008, will also be 

considered by the NRC staff. Comments can be submitted by mail to Chief, Rulemaking, 

Directives and Editing Branch, Division of Administrative Services, Office of Administration, 

Mail Stop T-6D59, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, or by email to ShearonHarrisEIS@nrc.gov. 

The draft report is posted on the NRC web page at: www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doccollections/nuregs/staff/sr1437/supplement33/. The Harris license renewal application is posted 

at: www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/licensing/renewal/applications/harris.html . Additional 

information about the license renewal process is available at: 

www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/licensing/renewal.html. 

The draft report is also available for review at the West Regional Library, 4000 Louis 

Stephens Drive, Cary, and the Eva H. Perry Library, 2100 Shepherd’s Vineyard Drive, Apex. 

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