Florida PSC approves plan to decommission Crystal River Nuclear Plant

The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) approved the plan submitted by Duke Energy Florida to decommission the Crystal River Nuclear Plant (CR3) by 2038.

The decommissioning timeline is 36 years earlier than originally planned.

“Duke’s transaction requires no additional funds from its customers and mitigates any risk from the plant’s otherwise long-term dormancy,” PSC Chairman Gary Clark said. “Customers will also benefit from the plan’s fixed-price and elimination of continued execution and property maintenance risk.”

Duke Energy Florida signed a $540 million contract with Accelerated Decommissioning Partners (ADP) to handle the decommissioning.

Duke Energy Florida announced its plan to decommission the facility ahead of schedule in 2019. Both decommissioning and site restoration work is set to begin this year and is expected to be completed by 2038.

Duke Energy Florida remains the Nuclear Regulatory Commission-licensed owner of the plant, property, and equipment, while ADP will become the Nuclear Regulatory Commission-licensed operator responsible for decommissioning the plant in compliance with all state and federal regulations.

The Florida PSC, as part of its approval, ordered DEF to provide quarterly decommissioning reports through the final period of partial license termination.

Crystal River Nuclear Plant, located at the DEF’s Crystal River Energy Complex in Citrus County, operated from 1977 to 2009.