NRC and Army Corps finalize Bell Bend environmental assessment for new reactor

The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Army Corps of Engineers finalized their Environment Impact Statement for the installation of a new reactor at the Bell Bend site in Pennsylvania on Tuesday.

The organizations determined the environmental impacts of installing a new reactor at the site would not prevent issuing a Combined License (COL). While Talen Energy submitted the COL application approximately eight years ago, on Oct. 10, 2008, the U.S. EPR reactor to be used must still receive a U.S. EPR design certification review and Bell Bend safety review before the reactor can be installed. Areva, Inc., the designer of the U.S. EPR, requested that the safety review be placed on hold until further notice.

The findings from the environmental assessment will be published in the Federal Registrar. The assessment took various factors into consideration, including consultations with federal organizations, and tribal, local, and state governments. The review also considered public comments submitted in 2009 and 2012.

The NRC staff conclusions are available for review in the NUREG-2179, “Environmental Impact Statement for the Combined License for the Bell Bend Nuclear Power Plant: Final Report.” The statement is also available for public review at the McBride Memorial Library and Mill Memorial Public Library.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will issue a separate record of its decision soon.