Westinghouse nuclear reactor set to advance at NRC

[FBaggins]

Feb 2 (Reuters) - The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission will seek public comment later this month for Westinghouse Electric Co's proposed AP1000 nuclear reactor, the agency's chairman said on Wednesday. The Westinghouse reactor is the choice of utilities seeking NRC approval to build 14 nuclear power plants. Westinghouse is part of Toshiba Corp (6502.T).

NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko, speaking at the Platts Energy Podium, said the agency will take public comment on the proposed reactor for 75 days and decide by late summer or early autumn whether to approve the reactor's design.

Southern Co (SO.N) plans to use the Westinghouse design for its two planned reactors at its Vogtle site Georgia, which was awarded an $8.3 billion loan guarantee from the Energy Department a year ago.

SCANA Corp (SCG.N) wants to use the AP1000 reactor for its two-reactor expansion project at its Summer nuclear power station in South Carolina that is also on the short list for an Energy Department loan guarantee.

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http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/02/usa-nuclear-westinghouse-idUSN0219990520110202

"fizzle" :rofl:

[enough]

1. What's the joke? (nt)

[jpak]

2. Nuclear power

yup

[FBaggins]

3. The yupster has a little egg on his face.

Some utilities are looking out ten years for new nuclear construction... but if they don't have a working plany six months after the U.S. decided to ramp up nuclear construction again... well... that's proof that nuclear power is "fizzling" out.

Of course... conveniently ignoring the rapid ramp-up going on all around the world as well.

And half the argument was that the permitting process is just bogging down. Then a mere few hours later... the process appears to be opening wide.