No. I-11-004

Contact: Diane Screnci, 610/337-5330

 Neil Sheehan, 610/337-5331

February 24, 2011

E-mail: opa1@nrc.gov

LICENSING BOARD GRANTS MOTION EXPEDITING MARCH 9th PROCEEDINGS 

IN PLYMOUTH, MASS., ON PILGRIM LICENSE RENEWAL CONTENTION

 A three-judge panel of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB) has granted a 

motion from the parties involved in the Pilgrim nuclear power plant license renewal review that 

will expedite proceedings scheduled for Wednesday, March 9, in Plymouth, Mass. The ASLB is 

an independent judicial arm of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

On Feb. 18, the ASLB held a conference call with the parties to discuss a motion 

regarding the issue that is to be the subject of the March 9th session, which is scheduled to begin 

at 9 a.m. at the John Carver Inn, 25 Summer St. in Plymouth. The parties include the non-profit 

citizens’ organization Pilgrim Watch, which submitted the contention; Entergy, which owns and 

operates the plant; and the NRC staff. The contention involves Entergy’s evaluation of Severe 

Accident Mitigation Alternatives, or SAMAs, for the plant. In place of an oral evidentiary 

hearing involving testimony by expert witnesses, the parties asked that the ASLB instead rule on 

the contention solely based on pre-filed testimony and exhibits.

In an order issued on Feb. 22, the ASLB granted the motion. However, the ASLB also 

asked the parties to submit proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law, which are 

essentially summaries of their positions and written closing arguments. In addition, the parties 

will be allowed to give brief closing arguments, limited to 10 minutes each, on March 9.

Besides the closing arguments on the SAMAs contention, the ASLB will also hear oral 

arguments on March 9th regarding three new contentions submitted by Pilgrim Watch. In one of 

those contentions, the group argues that Entergy’s SAMAs analysis must be revised to account 

for issues associated with clean-up responsibility and funding in the event of a severe accident. 

In the other two contentions, Pilgrim Watch challenges Entergy’s aging management program 

addressing aging management of certain electrical cables.

With respect to the SAMAs contention, nuclear power plant owners, when developing a 

license renewal application, are required under NRC regulations to consider safety 

enhancements, such as new equipment or building modifications, to reduce the risks of severe 

accidents. A cost-benefit analysis of potential changes is part of the consideration process. 

NRC NEWS

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Office of Public Affairs, Region I 

475 Allendale Road, King of Prussia, Pa. 19406

E-mail: opa1@nrc.gov 

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Pilgrim Watch has asserted there were flaws with the methodologies used by Entergy to 

determine post-accident environmental effects, thereby influencing decision-making on possible 

changes. 

Entergy submitted its application for a 20-year extension of the Pilgrim operating license 

on Jan. 25, 2006. The plant’s initial 40-year operating license is due to expire on June 8, 2012, 

but will remain in effect until the NRC has issued a final decision on the license renewal 

application. Documents related to the license renewal application are available on the NRC’s 

web site at: www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/licensing/renewal/applications/pilgrim.html.

Documents for the Pilgrim proceeding are available in the NRC’s online document 

library at: www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/regulatory/adjudicatory.html.

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