NRC RENEWS OPERATING LICENSES FOR PRAIRIE ISLAND

NUCLEAR POWER PLANT FOR AN ADDITIONAL 20 YEARS

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has renewed the operating license for the Prairie 

Island Nuclear Generating Plant, Units 1 and 2, for an additional 20 years. The new licenses will 

expire for Units 1 and 2 on Aug. 9, 2033, and Oct. 29, 2034, respectively.

The decision to renew the license comes after thorough safety and environmental reviews 

of the application submitted April 11, 2008, by the plant’s operator, Northern States Power 

Company. The Prairie Island plant has two pressurized-water reactors, located 28 miles southeast 

of Minneapolis, Minn.

The lessons being learned from events at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station 

have prompted a comprehensive NRC review of our regulations and practices. The NRC will 

apply the recommendations from this review, as appropriate, for any changes deemed necessary 

to improve the safety of operating plants, regardless of whether the plants have been issued 

renewed operating licenses. Prairie Island, therefore, like all operating plants, will be subject to 

any rule or policy changes the NRC may make as a result of our post-Fukushima review. The 

task force reviewing lessons learned from the events in Japan expects to deliver its near-term 

report and recommendations to the Commission on July 12; a longer-term review’s report is 

expected within approximately six months.

In a letter dated June 14, 2008, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Prairie Island 

Indian Community (PIIC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for working together 

to review potential environmental impacts of the proposed license renewal. This was the first 

MOU dealing with a license renewal environmental review. The MOU recognized PIIC’s special 

expertise and information as it related to historic and archeological resources, socioeconomics, 

land use, and environmental justice. The NRC retained final authority on the renewal decision.

The NRC held public meetings near the plant on July 30, 2008, and Dec. 16, 2009, to 

discuss Prairie Island’s environmental review. In May, NRC staff concluded there were no 

environmental impacts that would preclude renewal of the license for environmental reasons. 

NRC NEWS

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Office of Public Affairs Telephone: 301/415-8200

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No. 11-118 June 29, 2011
After careful review of the plant’s safety systems and specifications, the staff concluded 

that there were no safety concerns that would preclude license renewal and that the applicant had 

effectively demonstrated the capability to manage the effects of plant aging. In addition, NRC 

conducted inspections of the plant to verify information submitted by the applicant. On 

Dec. 10, 2009, the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards – an independent body of 

technical experts that advises the Commission – issued its recommendation that license renewal 

for Prairie Island should be approved. 

The safety and environmental review reports, application and letters relating to the Prairie 

Island license renewal are available online on the NRC website. 

The Prairie Island licenses represent the 67th and 68th reactor licenses renewed by the 

NRC. A complete listing of renewal applications can be found online at the NRC website.

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