Plans for new Texas nuclear power plants advance

subscribe

North Texas came one step closer to getting new nuclear power plants when a key manufacturer asked regulators to certify a standard plant design that Energy Future Holdings might use here.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. applied to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a so-called standard design certification for its US-APWR nuclear plant. That's the type of plant that Energy Future, formerly TXU Corp., is considering using to expand it Comanche Peak facility in Glen Rose.

Mitsubishi said in a news release that it will also help Energy Future prepare its application for the new plant. Last year, TXU told the NRC it would file the application in mid-2008. Since then, the power company has been purchased by private equity companies and changed its name.

Energy Future spokesman Tom Kleckner said the company isn't ready to give a more exact date for submitting the application.

He added that Energy Future hopes to have two new 1,700-megawatt reactors online around 2020. The NRC has encouraged manufacturers to apply for standard design certification to speed the process of building reactors.

That way, when a power company chooses a standard design, the NRC can skip reviewing the design itself and concentrate on the location of the plant and the operations.

In the past, the U.S. nuclear industry had no standard designs, and the NRC's process of certifying a plant took years.

Related News

ontario-launches-largest-competitive-energy-procurement

Ontario Launches Largest Competitive Energy Procurement in Province’s History

ONTARIO - Ontario has recently marked a significant milestone in its energy sector with the launch of what is being touted as the largest competitive energy procurement process in the province’s history. This ambitious initiative is set to transform the province’s energy landscape by fostering innovation, enhancing reliability, and addressing the growing demands of Ontario’s diverse population.

A New Era of Energy Procurement

The Ontario government’s move to initiate this massive competitive procurement process underscores a strategic shift towards modernizing and diversifying the province’s energy portfolio. This procurement exercise will invite bids from a broad spectrum of energy suppliers and technologies, ranging…

READ MORE
seattle-city-light-initiative-helps-customers-reduce-electricity-bills

Seattle City Light's Initiative Helps Over 93,000 Customers Reduce Electricity Bills

READ MORE

new mexico wind farm

New Mexico Governor to Sign 100% Clean Electricity Bill ‘As Quickly As Possible’

READ MORE

india-solar-growth-slows

India's Solar Growth Slows with Surge in Coal Generation

READ MORE

texas electricity reforms

Texas Weighs Electricity Market Reforms To Avoid Blackouts

READ MORE