LICENSING BOARD TO CONDUCT HEARING OCT. 31 IN ROCKVILLE, MD,

ON SOUTH TEXAS PROJECT NEW NUCLEAR REACTOR APPLICATION

An Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB) panel will conduct an evidentiary hearing

Oct. 31 in Rockville, Md., in the South Texas Project Combined License (COL) proceeding. The 

ASLB is the independent body within the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that presides over 

proceedings involving the licensing of civilian nuclear facilities, such as nuclear power plants.

This evidentiary hearing will consider a contention (or challenge) originally scheduled to be 

heard in August but deferred due to the unavoidable absence of an expert witness. The Board has 

also asked all the parties’ attorneys to be prepared for oral argument on a new proposed contention 

related to the Fukushima Dai-ichi accident in Japan, although the Board is not certain if such oral 

argument will be necessary. The hearing will begin at 9:30 a.m. EDT in the Atomic Safety and 

Licensing Board Panel Hearing Facility, Room T-3B45 in the NRC’s Two White Flint North 

Building, 11545 Rockville Pike in Rockville.

The session is open for public observation, but participation will be limited to the parties 

admitted to the proceeding (several public interest groups, the applicant – Nuclear Innovation North 

America (NINA) – and NRC staff). Early arrival at the NRC’s main visitor entrance in the One 

White Flint North Building is suggested to allow for security screening for all members of the 

public interested in attending. NRC policy prohibits signs, banners, posters or displays in the 

hearing room at any time during the proceeding.

The South Texas Project COL application was submitted Sept. 20, 2007, seeking permission 

to construct and operate two new nuclear reactors at an existing site near Bay City, Texas. The 

ASLB granted intervenor standing to the Sustainable Energy and Economic Development Coalition, 

the South Texas Association for Responsible Energy, and Public Citizen, and found they had 

submitted admissible contentions that challenge the COL application. The contention that will be 

addressed on Oct. 31 involves the question of whether the application and NRC review properly 

accounts for energy efficient building code rules in assessing the need for power.

Individuals or groups not admitted to the proceeding can submit “written limited appearance 

statements” to the ASLB. Anyone wishing to submit a written statement may do so by email to 

hearingdocket@nrc.gov, by fax to 301-415-1101, or by mail to: Office of the Secretary, Attn. 

Rulemaking and Adjudications Staff, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 

20555-0001. In addition, copies of written statements should be sent to the Chairman of the 

Licensing Board by e-mail to Michael.Gibson@nrc.gov and Jonathan.Eser@nrc.gov; by fax to 

NRC NEWS

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Office of Public Affairs Telephone: 301/415-8200

Washington, D.C. 20555-0001

E-mail: opa.resource@nrc.gov Site: www.nrc.gov

Blog: http://public-blog.nrc-gateway.gov

No. 11-188 October 4, 2011
301-415-5599, or by mail to: Administrative Judge Michael M. Gibson, Atomic Safety and 

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

D.C. 20555-0001.

Documents related to the South Texas Project COL application are available on the NRC

website. Documents pertaining to the ASLB proceeding are available in the agency’s electronic 

hearing docket. More information about the ASLB can be found at the NRC website.

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