Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, located near Port Gibson in Mississippi, has been reviewed by the NRC team following an application submitted by the plant operator Entergy Operations.
The approval follows completion of five years of intensive reviews and assessments to ensure the plant’s safety, operational capability and environmental impact will meet or exceed standards into the future.
The power plant comprises a boiling-water reactor and is operated by Entergy with 90% stake while other 10% is owned by Cooperative Energy, formerly South Mississippi Electric Power Association.
The new license of the nuclear power plant will expire on 20 December 2043. The existing operating license for the power plant expires on 1 November 2024.
Entergy said that the approval allows it to provide safe, secure and reliable energy for two additional decades.
Cooperative Energy power production vice-president Brad Edwards said: “Grand Gulf has been an integral part of Cooperative Energy’s generation portfolio providing power for our members for more than 30 years.
“We recognize and appreciate the hard work that made this possible and we look forward to safe and reliable operation of the unit through the license extension.”
Commissioned in 1985, the Grand Gulf nuclear plant accounts for 20% of the state’s total electricity generation capacity.
Image: Officials from Cooperative Energy, and US NRC among others. Photo: courtesy of Entergy Corporation.
