The Atomic Safety and Licensing Board has dismissed most contentions filed by three environmental groups seeking to block the Sequoyah nuclear plant license renewal.
In January, TVA filed an application to renew its licenses to operate the two reactors at the Sequoyah plant for an additional 20 years. The current licenses expire on Sept. 17, 2020, for Unit 1 and on Sept. 15, 2021, for Unit 2.
On May 6, three entities – the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League (BREDL), Bellefonte Efficiency and Sustainability Team (BEST), and Mothers Against Tennessee River Radiation (MATRR) jointly challenged TVA’s license renewal application by filing a petition to intervene and request for a hearing. The groups put forth eight contentions alleging that the application is deficient and should not be granted.
The ASLB concluded that BREDL has established standing to intervene, but BEST and MATRR have not.
The ASLB also ruled that all the contentions offered by the group(s) except one are inadmissible.
The environmental-related portion of the contention that was not ruled inadmissible is held in abeyance, pending further order of the Commission. That contention refers to nuclear waste storage issues and the NRC has stopped all licensing decisions that depend on what is called the waste confidence rule.
Click here to read the memo and opinion.