Should the license for the Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant License be renewed?

On June 1, 2010, NextEra Energy Seabrook filed an application with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to renew the Seabrook Nuclear Power plant's operating license for 20 years -- from 2030 to 2050. 

The NRC license renewal process generally takes 22-to-30 months following application submission. Aside from a thorough review and inspection, the renewal process also includes several public hearings.

Under NRC regulations, the original operating license for a nuclear power plant has a term of 40 years. A plant license may be renewed for up to an additional 20 years.

The Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant is a pressurized water reactor that sits on a 900-acre site in the towns of Seabrook, Hampton and Hampton Falls. It began operation in 1990 and generates approximately 1 million watts of electricity - enough to power 900,000 homes daily. Forty-four percent of New Hampshire's electricity is generated by Seabrook, according to the Nuclear Energy Institute.

Proponents of nuclear power say it is a clean energy source that helps reduce U.S. dependency on foreign oil. Opponents believe the risks of radioactive contamination outweigh the benefits.

Nuclear power safety was thrust back into the media spotlight with the earthquake/tsunami-induced meltdown of Japan's Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant. Spent fuel rods caught fire and released radioactive material after the plant’s cooling system failed.

According to NextEra Energy:

• The (Seabrook) plant is designed to withstand the force of the earthquake that hit the Japanese plants, which is significantly higher than any recorded earthquake in New England history.
   
• The plant is located two miles inland and elevated 20 feet above sea level to protect against flooding and extreme storm surges.

Spent fuel rods are stored in cooling pools at Seabrook and other nuclear plants across the country because the U.S. lacks a central repository. Congress passed a law in 2002 designating Nevada's Yucca Mountain as a repository for high-level nuclear waste, but Energy Secretary Steven Chu decided to terminate the project this year.

The International Atomic Energy Agency's Operating Safety Review Team released its evaluation of Seabrook in April 2012. The investigation uncovered alkali-silica reaction (ASR) in several concrete structures. ASR is a slow chemical reaction that ultimately leads to micro-cracks in concrete and cement.

While NextEra is taking steps to mitigate the problem, the NRC estimates ASR has delayed Seabrook’s re-licensing application at least 11 months and likely into 2014.