On Tuesday, Feb. 9, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission completed its mandatory hearing on Nuclear Innovation North America’s (NINA) application for two Combined Licenses (COL) for STP Units 3 & 4. The Commission voted affirmatively to approve the licenses, finding the NRC Staff’s review adequate to make the necessary regulatory safety and environmental findings. The Commission’s decision clears the way for the agency’s Office of New Reactors to issue the licenses for STP Units 3 & 4.

“Issuance of these licenses is a major milestone for the project,” said NINA CEO Mark McBurnett. “Having these licenses puts us in a position to move the project forward when economic conditions support construction. NINA will continue to work on business development and the steps necessary to move the project forward.”

The license application for STP Units 3 & 4 was filed in September 2007. The Commission’s actions represent the conclusion of an extensive safety and environmental review by the NRC, spanning more than eight years. Last September, NRC Staff completed its Final Safety Evaluation Report (FSER) concluding that there are no safety aspects that would preclude issuing the licenses for the proposed units.

“The NRC’s announcement that combined construction and operating licenses for STP Units 3 &4 have been approved is good news for Matagorda County, the State of Texas and indeed our nation,” said Matagorda County Judge Nate McDonald. “This announcement shows that hard work and perseverance pays off.”

The licenses authorize NINA to construct Advanced Boiling Water Reactors (ABWR) at the STP site, adjacent to the existing STP units. NINA plans to hold these licenses until market economics support construction.

NINA is the nuclear development company jointly owned by NRG Energy and Toshiba that has to secure the licenses for the project. Once construction is completed, STP Nuclear Operating Company will be the licensee and operator of the units.

“We strongly believe that new nuclear generation is important to our state’s long-term energy future, addressing carbon and climate change,” said McBurnett. “However, current sustained low natural gas prices and Texas electric market economics do not support starting construction at this time.”

When STP was constructed three decades ago, the site was designed for four units and has the land, water and transmission infrastructure to support expansion.