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82-482: After winning a three-year legal battle over water rights, Blue Castle began reviewing construction companies to work on building the plant. The project is projected to cost up to $ 20 billion, though BCH projected only $ 13.4 billion as of January 2017. The plant is expected to produce up to 4000 short term jobs during construction and about 1000 long term jobs in the Green River area. Public reaction has varied since

164-720: A FOIA request. NRC conducts audits and training inspections, observes the National Nuclear Accrediting Board meetings, and nominates some members. The 1980 Kemeny Commission's report after the Three Mile Island accident recommended that the nuclear energy industry "set and police its own standards of excellence". The nuclear industry founded the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) within 9 months to establish personnel training and qualification. The industry through INPO created

246-484: A capacity of 9,140 megawatts. 70.6% of the generation is from thermal sources (i.e., coal or natural gas), 6.7% from hydroelectric sources, and 0.2% from renewable sources. 22.5% of PacifiCorp's generation is purchased from other suppliers or under contracts. The company is planning on keeping only 3 of its 22 coal-fired power stations operational beyond 2040 and is planning to source 56% of its yearly consumption with renewable energy by 2040. Pacific Power & Light

328-551: A city block but would not have presented an immediate health hazard. Twelve years into NRC operations, a 1987 congressional report entitled "NRC Coziness with Industry" concluded, that the NRC "has not maintained an arms length regulatory posture with the commercial nuclear power industry ... [and] has, in some critical areas, abdicated its role as a regulator altogether". To cite three examples: A 1986 Congressional report found that NRC staff had provided valuable technical assistance to

410-742: A library, which also contains online document collections. In 1984 it started an electronic repository called ADAMS, the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System, for its public inspection reports, correspondence, and other technical documents written by NRC staff, contractors, and licensees. It was upgraded in October 2010 and is now web-based. Of documents from 1980 to 1999 only some have abstracts and/or full text; most are citations. Documents from before 1980 are available in paper or microfiche formats. Copies of these older documents or classified documents can be applied for with

492-851: A new subsidiary, Power Block Coin, in November 2017. It will provide power to data centers that support mining of cryptocurrency . Rocky Mountain Power PacifiCorp is an electric power company based in the Lloyd Center Tower in Portland, Oregon with operations in the western United States . PacifiCorp has two business units: Pacific Power , a regulated electric utility with service territory throughout Oregon, northern California, and southeastern Washington headquartered in Portland, Oregon ; and Rocky Mountain Power ,

574-482: A nuclear plant near Green River was just speculation after TPD had been searching for a site for over a year. An editorial in nearby Grand Junction, Colorado expressed tentative support for the project, especially in light of coal and gas plants being shut down despite growing energy demands. The Utah State Legislature approved a joint resolution endorsing nuclear power as a viable option in March 2009. When TPD started

656-520: A regulated electric utility with service territory throughout Utah , Wyoming , and southeastern Idaho, headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah . PacifiCorp operates one of the largest privately held transmission systems in the U.S. within the western Energy Imbalance Market. Pacific Power and Rocky Mountain Power combined serve over 1.6 million residential customers, 202,000 commercial customers, and 37,000 industrial and irrigation customers, for

738-417: A sales tool to help push American technology to foreign governments, when "lobbying for the purchase of equipment made by Westinghouse Electric Company and other domestic manufacturers". This gives the appearance of a regulator which is acting in a commercial capacity, "raising concerns about a potential conflict of interest ". San Clemente Green, an environmental group opposed to the continued operation of

820-447: A total of approximately 1,813,000 customers. The service area is 143,000 square miles (370,000 km ). The company owns and maintains 16,500 miles (26,600 km) of long-distance transmission lines, 64,000 miles (103,000 km) of distribution lines, and 900 substations. PacifiCorp owns, maintains and operates generation assets and manages the commercial and trading operations of the company. PacifiCorp owns 68 generating plants with

902-450: Is $ 1,059.5 million, with 3,895.9 full-time equivalents (FTE), 90 percent of which is recovered by fees. This is an increase of $ 3.6 million, including 65.1 FTE, compared to FY 2014. NRC headquarters offices are located in unincorporated North Bethesda, Maryland (although the mailing address for two of the three main buildings in the complex list the city as Rockville, MD ), and there are four regional offices. The NRC territory

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984-568: Is 10,556MW. Of this, 56% is coal, 24% is natural gas, 10% is hydroelectric, and 10% is renewable. Major generation facilities include: PacifiCorp also owns and operates several captive coal mines located at or very near some of its generation plants. In Wyoming, PacifiCorp operates and has partial interest in Jim Bridger Mine and owns the Dave Johnston Mine, which is in final reclamation. The company also owned and operated

1066-483: Is broken down into four geographical regions; until the late 1990s, there was a Region V office in Walnut Creek, California which was absorbed into Region IV, and Region V was dissolved. In these four regions NRC oversees the operation of US nuclear reactors , namely 94 power-producing reactors, and 31 non-power-producing, or research and test reactors. Oversight is done on several levels. For example: NRC has

1148-619: Is closely related to the National Academy for Nuclear Training, not a government body, and referred to as independent by INPO, the Nuclear Energy Institute, and nuclear utilities. but not by the NRC, all of whom are represented on the board. The 1982 Nuclear Waste Policy Act directed NRC in Section 306 to issue regulations or "other appropriate regulatory guidance" on training of nuclear plant personnel. Since

1230-464: Is designated by the president to be the chairman and official spokesperson of the commission. The chairman is the principal executive officer of the NRC, who exercise all of the executive and administrative functions of the commission. The current chairman is Christopher T. Hanson . President Biden designated Hanson as chairman of the NRC effective January 20, 2021. The current commissioners as of September 24, 2024: President Biden has nominated

1312-409: Is projected to "increase Utah's electrical capacity by approximately 50 percent". The plant was proposed in part to support a projected 2016 need for power from Rocky Mountain Power , the main supplier of electrical power to the state of Utah. Jon Huntsman Jr. , the governor of Utah at that time, stated that he was opposed to any plan for a plant that did not include onsite spent fuel reprocessing . At

1394-585: Is to regulate the nation's civilian use of byproduct, source, and special nuclear materials to ensure adequate protection of public health and safety, to promote the common defense and security, and to protect the environment. The NRC's regulatory mission covers three main areas : The NRC is headed by five commissioners appointed by the president of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate for five-year terms. One of them

1476-563: The Daily Herald suggested the plant would bring over 2000 short term jobs and 1000 high-paying long term jobs to the area. In the January 2017 webinar, BCH stated there could be up to 4000 short term jobs and "800-1,000 people in long term good jobs" such as electricians and engineers. Howard Sierer suggested. in a January 2022 opinion piece for The Independent in St. George , that many of

1558-569: The Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA) in 1975, responsible for development and oversight of nuclear weapons . Research and promotion of civil uses of radioactive materials, such as for nuclear non-destructive testing , nuclear medicine, and nuclear power , was split into the Office of Nuclear Energy, Science & Technology within ERDA by the same act. In 1977, ERDA became

1640-587: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission , who stated that "the geotechnical activities were adequately controlled with an appropriate level of quality assurance and no issues were identified". Hydrological studies were done using 18 boreholes from 30–150 feet (9.1–45.7 m) in depth, and the data was being analyzed as of February 2016. Meteorological studies included two years of data collection. BCH plans to store spent fuel rods onsite for at least 100 years. Westinghouse will be producing

1722-777: The San Onofre Nuclear Plant , said in 2011 that instead of being a watchdog, the NRC too often rules in favor of nuclear plant operators. In 2011, the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami led to unprecedented damage and flooding of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant . The subsequent loss of offsite power and flooding of onsite emergency diesel generators led to loss of coolant and subsequent Nuclear meltdown of three reactor cores. The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster led to an uncontrolled release of radioactive contamination, and forced

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1804-768: The United States . However, the case for widespread nuclear plant construction was eroded due to abundant natural gas supplies. Many license applications for proposed new reactors were suspended or cancelled. These will not be the cheapest energy options available, therefore not an attractive investment. In 2013, four reactors were permanently closed: San Onofre 2 and 3 in California, Crystal River 3 in Florida, and Kewaunee in Wisconsin. Vermont Yankee , in Vernon,

1886-863: The United States Department of Energy (DOE). In 2000, the National Nuclear Security Administration was created as a subcomponent of DOE, responsible for nuclear weapons. Following the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011, the NRC developed a guidance strategy known as "Diverse and Flexible Coping Strategies (FLEX)" which requires licensee nuclear power plants to account for beyond-design-basis external events (seismic, flooding, high-winds, etc.) that are most impactful to reactor safety through loss of power and loss of ultimate heat sink. FLEX Strategies have been implemented at all operating nuclear power plants in

1968-572: The 'National Academy for Nuclear Training Program' either as early as 1980 or in September 1985 per the International Atomic Energy Agency . INPO refers to NANT as "our National Academy for Nuclear Training" on its website. NANT integrates and standardizes the training programs of INPO and US nuclear energy companies, offers training scholarships and interacts with the 'National Nuclear Accrediting Board'. This Board

2050-498: The 'Operator Requalification Rule' 59 FR 5938, Feb. 9, 1994, allowing each nuclear power plant company to conduct the operator licensing renewal examination every six years, eliminating the requirement of NRC-administered written requalification examination. In 1999, NRC issued a final rule on operator initial licensing examination, that allows companies to prepare, proctor, and grade their own operator initial licensing examinations. Facilities can "upon written request" continue to have

2132-481: The 1979 Three Mile Island accident in Pennsylvania, the NRC has often been too timid in ensuring that America's commercial reactors are operated safely: Nuclear power regulation is a textbook example of the problem of "regulatory capture" — in which an industry gains control of an agency meant to regulate it. Regulatory capture can be countered only by vigorous public scrutiny and Congressional oversight, but in

2214-668: The 32 years since Three Mile Island, interest in nuclear regulation has declined precipitously. An article in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists stated that many forms of NRC regulatory failure exist, including regulations ignored by the common consent of NRC and industry: A worker (named George Galatis ) at the Millstone Nuclear Power Plant in Connecticut kept warning management, that

2296-670: The Allegations Program, Office of Investigations, Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response, Region I, Region II, Region III, Region IV, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Office of Administration, Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer, and Office of Small Business and Civil Rights. Of these operations offices, NRC's major program components are the first two offices mentioned above. NRC's proposed FY 2015 budget

2378-521: The Blue Castle CEO said their plans were unaffected and "We’re going to wait and see who buys Westinghouse ... They’re not going to go away as a company." There have been no new announcements or updates on their website since 2019. The initial projected cost given by Blue Castle (operating then as Transition Power Development) was $ 3 billion. By 2010, the cost of building the plant was estimated at $ 13–16 billion, which climbed to $ 18–20 billion by

2460-800: The Deer Creek Mine in Utah, near the Huntington Plant but closed it in 2015 and has a partial interest in the Trapper Mine in Colorado. Calling it a "new era of utility involvement in transportation electrification," the Portland Business Journal in 2018 described PacifiCorp's electric vehicle promotion program as a plan that promises new electric vehicle charging sites, outreach and education efforts. The program

2542-511: The EISs and found significant flaws, included failure to consider significant issues of concern. It also found that the NRC management had significantly underestimated the risk and consequences posed by a severe reactor accident such as a full-scale nuclear meltdown. NRC management asserted, without scientific evidence, that the risk of such accidents were so "Small" that the impacts could be dismissed and therefore no analysis of human and environmental

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2624-571: The Fukushima disaster, the NRC prepared a report in 2011 to examine the risk that dam failures posed on the nation's fleet of nuclear reactors. A redacted version of NRC's report on dam failures was posted on the NRC website on March 6. The original, un-redacted version was leaked to the public. The un-redacted version which was leaked to the public highlights the threat that flooding poses to nuclear power plants located near large dams and substantiates claims that NRC management has intentionally misled

2706-799: The General Counsel, Office of International Programs, Office of Public Affairs, Office of the Secretary, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Office of the Executive Director for Operations). Christopher T. Hanson is the chairman of the NRC. There are 14 Executive Director for Operations offices: Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation , Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, Office of Enforcement, which investigates reports by nuclear power whistleblowers , specifically

2788-572: The Japanese Government to evacuate approximately 100,000 citizens. Gregory Jaczko was chairman of the NRC when the 2011 Fukushima disaster occurred in Japan. Jaczko looked for lessons for the US, and strengthened security regulations for nuclear power plants . For example, he supported the requirement that new plants be able to withstand an aircraft crash. On February 9, 2012, Jaczko cast

2870-530: The NRC about the pipes and the NRC also did not know they existed. In March 2011, the Union of Concerned Scientists released a study critical of the NRC's 2010 performance as a regulator. The UCS said that over the years, it had found the NRC's enforcement of safety rules has not been "timely, consistent, or effective" and it cited 14 "near-misses" at U.S. plants in 2010 alone. In April 2011, Reuters reported that diplomatic cables showed NRC sometimes being used as

2952-588: The NRC approved a 20-year extension for the license of Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant , although the Vermont state legislature voted overwhelmingly to deny an extension. The plant had been found to be leaking radioactive materials through a network of underground pipes, which Entergy had denied under oath even existed. At a hearing in 2009 Tony Klein, chairman of the Vermont House Natural Resources and Energy Committee had asked

3034-470: The NRC mailed the license to the West Virginia postal box. Upon receipt of the license, GAO officials were able to easily modify its stipulations and remove a limit on the amount of radioactive material they could buy. A spokesman for the NRC said that the agency considered the radioactive devices a "lower-level threat"; a bomb built with the materials could have contaminated an area about the length of

3116-561: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is "on the defensive to prove it is doing its job of ensuring safety". In October 2011, Jaczko described "a tension between wanting to move in a timely manner on regulatory questions, and not wanting to go too fast". In 2011 Edward J. Markey , Democrat of Massachusetts, criticized the NRC's response to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster and the decision-making on

3198-572: The United States and elsewhere. In March 2007, undercover investigators from the Government Accountability Office set up a false company and obtained a license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that would have allowed them to buy the radioactive materials needed for a dirty bomb. According to the GAO report, NRC officials did not visit the company or attempt to personally interview its executives. Instead, within 28 days,

3280-573: The United States. The origins and development of NRC regulatory processes and policies are explained in five volumes of history published by the University of California Press . These are: The NRC has produced a booklet, A Short History of Nuclear Regulation 1946–2009 , which outlines key issues in NRC history. Thomas Wellock , a former academic, is the NRC historian. Before joining the NRC, Wellock wrote Critical Masses: Opposition to Nuclear Power in California, 1958–1978 . The NRC's mission

3362-508: The agreements "[needed] to be changed to reflect changed market conditions" because of delays caused by the three years of legal battles. Blue Castle Holdings (BCH) is the company that owns the Blue Castle project. It was cofounded in 2006 by Aaron Tilton. Other executives include Thomas Retson (formerly of GE Nuclear Energy ), Nils Diaz (formerly head of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ), Robert Graber, and Reed Searle. BCH started

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3444-497: The area. Governor Gary Herbert expressed interest in letting "free enterprise...make Utah a net energy exporter" by using the technological power of Utah State University , the University of Utah , and Brigham Young University help those private businesses "create cleaner, cheaper sources of energy". During legislative hearings in February 2011, concern was expressed by citizens and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding

3526-412: The building of more nuclear power plants, and another poll conducted in February 2008 showed 57 percent in favor. Utah Senator Bob Bennett stated in late 2008 that "if we are going to be serious about carbon emissions, we have to have a much larger nuclear component in our electric production" in November 2008. Gary Kofford, the county commissioner for Emery County in 2008, stated that talk of building

3608-485: The decision of the state engineer. The decision was appealed, but the appeals court upheld the decision of the 7th District Court judge in July 2016, stating the arguments by the plaintiffs were "often inadequately supported and briefed". In 2017 BCH stated the licensing phase will go from 2017 to 2020. Following the bankruptcy of Westinghouse Electric Company , the manufacturer of the planned AP1000 reactors, in March 2017,

3690-404: The end of 2016. BCH gave an estimated cost figure of $ 13.4 billion during a webinar in January 2017. The site is located about 5 miles (8.0 km) west-northwest of Green River , Emery County, Utah . A geological study was completed on the proposed site which included ten 600 feet (180 m) boreholes which were then studied using optical and acoustic methods. These results were reviewed by

3772-417: The examinations prepared and administered by NRC staff, but if a company volunteers to prepare the examination, NRC continues to approve and administer it. Since 2000 meetings between NRC and applicants or licensees have been open to the public. Between 2007 and 2009, 13 companies applied to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for construction and operating licenses to build 25 new nuclear power reactors in

3854-608: The fifth city in the world with central station electricity. In 1954, Pacific Power & Light merged with the Mountain States Power Company , essentially doubling the company's service area. In 1961, the company purchased the California Oregon Power Company, extending its service into southern Oregon and northern California. In 1977, PacifiCorp spun off its coal mining interests into a mining company known as NERCO , which

3936-472: The five-member NRC had become "captive of the industries that it regulates". Numerous different observers have criticized the NRC as an example of regulatory capture The NRC has been accused of having conflicting roles as regulator and "salesman" in a 2011 Reuters article, doing an inadequate job by the Union of Concerned Scientists , and the agency approval process has been called a "rubber stamp". Frank N. von Hippel wrote in March 2011, that despite

4018-543: The following exceptions: Bountiful, Kaysville, Lehi, Logan, Provo, Murray, Monroe, Monticello, Springville, St. George Buffalo, Casper, Cody, Douglas, Evanston, Green River, Kemmerer, Lander, Laramie, Rawlins, Riverton, Rock Springs, Thermopolis In 2023, a jury ordered PacifiCorp to pay $ 70 million in punitive damages to 17 homeowners negatively impacted by the 2020 Oregon wildfires . In August 2024, PacifiCorp revealed that it faced at least $ 46 billion in claims resulting from four separate class action complaints related to

4100-660: The following to fill a seat on the commission. They await Senate confirmation. The NRC consists of the commission on the one hand and offices of the executive director for Operations on the other. The commission is divided into two committees (Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards and Advisory Committee on the Medical Uses of Isotopes) and one Board, the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, as well as eight commission staff offices (Office of Commission Appellate Adjudication, Office of Congressional Affairs, Office of

4182-477: The future. This will reduce demand for replacement new builds. Byrne and Hoffman wrote in 1996, that since the 1980s the NRC has generally favored the interests of nuclear industry, and been unduly responsive to industry concerns, while failing to pursue tough regulation. The NRC has often sought to hamper or deny public access to the regulatory process, and created new barriers to public participation. Barack Obama , when running for president in 2007, said that

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4264-531: The industry's own Institute for Nuclear Power Operations (INPO), an organization formed by utilities in response to the Three Mile Island Accident. One example involves the license renewal program that NRC initiated to extend the operating licenses for the nation's fleet of commercial nuclear reactors. Environmental impact statements (EIS) were prepared for each reactor to extend the operational period from 40 to 60 years. One study examined

4346-459: The letter, stating the scientists should be trying to persuade "utility executives and the president of the United States". In November 2016, HEAL Utah and other environmental groups filed complaints with the State of Utah claiming BCH had not made the contractually-required initial payments for the approved water rights. BCH stated it was renegotiating with the two water conservancy districts because

4428-524: The lone dissenting vote on plans to build the first new nuclear power plant in more than 30 years when the NRC voted 4–1 to allow Atlanta-based Southern Co to build and operate two new nuclear power reactors at its existing Vogtle Electric Generating Plant in Georgia. He cited safety concerns stemming from Japan's 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster , saying "I cannot support issuing this license as if Fukushima never happened". In July 2011, Mark Cooper said that

4510-492: The nuclear industry already had developed training and accreditation, NRC issued a policy statement in 1985, endorsing the INPO program. NRC has a memorandum of agreement with INPO and "monitors INPO activities by observing accreditation team visits and the monthly NNAB meetings". In 1993, NRC endorsed the industry's approach to training that had been used for nearly a decade through its 'Training Rule'. In February 1994, NRC passed

4592-596: The nuclear reactors for the power plant. In November 2016, BCH began looking for contractors to build the facilities. BCH stated they plan to begin construction in 2023, have the first reactor online in 2028, and the second reactor online in 2030. However, with no updates on the Blue Castle Holdings website since 2019, the project seems to be on hold and no new construction start date has been released. BCH projects about $ 500 million annually in revenue and state and local taxes paid. A 2010 opinion piece in

4674-477: The petition asks the NRC to halt proceedings to approve the standardized AP1000 and Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor designs. The petitioners asked the NRC to supplement its own investigation by establishing an independent commission comparable to that set up in the wake of the less severe 1979 Three Mile Island accident . The petitioners included Public Citizen , Southern Alliance for Clean Energy , and San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace . Following

4756-767: The previous rates until 2035. Pacific Power serves customers in Washington , Oregon and California . Major cities served include: As of December 31, 2009, Pacific Power serves 555,070 customers in Oregon, 126,665 customers in Washington, and 45,148 customers in California. Rocky Mountain Power serves customers in Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming. Major cities served include: Ammon, Lava Hot Springs, Malad City, Montpelier, Preston, Rigby, Rexburg, Saint Anthony, Shelley Rocky Mountain Power serves most major cities in Utah, with

4838-691: The process to lease water from the Kane County Water Conservancy District, the Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah—an environmental advocacy group—indicated it may fight the lease. A 2010 opinion piece in the Daily Herald stated that the trade off was acceptable between using about one percent of the water flowing in the Green River through Emery County every year, and bringing over 2000 short term jobs and 1000 high-paying long term jobs to

4920-410: The project was originally proposed. There are several local and national environmental groups who oppose the project. A project to build a $ 3-billion nuclear plant in eastern Utah was initially proposed in 2007 by Transition Power Development (TPD). TPD planned to have a minimum of two 1500 megawatt reactors active when the plant went live, though the proposed site could support three reactors. The plant

5002-1453: The proposed Westinghouse AP1000 reactor design. In 2011, a total of 45 groups and individuals from across the nation formally asked the NRC to suspend all licensing and other activities at 21 proposed nuclear reactor projects in 15 states until the NRC completed a thorough post- Fukushima nuclear disaster examination: The petition seeks suspension of six existing reactor license renewal decisions ( Columbia Generating Station , WA Davis–Besse Nuclear Power Station , OH, Diablo Canyon Power Plant , CA, Indian Point Energy Center , NY, Pilgrim Nuclear Generating Station , MA, and Seabrook Station Nuclear Power Plant , NH); 13 new reactor combined construction permit and operating license decisions ( Bellefonte Nuclear Generating Station Units 3 and 4, AL, Bell Bend, Callaway Nuclear Generating Station , MO, Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Generating Station , MD, Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant , TX, Enrico Fermi Nuclear Generating Station , MI, Levy County Nuclear Power Plant , FL North Anna Nuclear Generating Station , VA, Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant , NC, South Texas Nuclear Generating Station , TX, Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station , FL, Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant , GA, and William States Lee III Nuclear Generating Station , SC);a construction permit decision (Bellefonte Units 1 and 2); and an operating license decision ( Watts Bar Nuclear Generating Station , TN). In addition,

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5084-495: The proposed leasing of the water rights due to a perceived lack of scrutiny of the proposed Blue Castle project. The lawsuits were eventually dismissed after appeal. A 2013 letter from atmospheric scientist Ken Caldeira , professor of meteorology Kerry Emanuel , and climate scientists Tom Wigley and James Hansen encouraged environmental groups to support nuclear power reactors as a way to address environmental concerns such as climate change and pollution. HEAL Utah dismissed

5166-497: The proposed plant. BCH stated they had unanimous support for the plant from the Emery County Commission and the leadership of Green River, Utah in 2010. In October 2011, BCH met with members of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and local Utah agencies in hearings regarding site surveys, emergency planning, and environmental concerns regarding the placement of the proposed plant near the Green River. The company

5248-602: The proposed two reactors. Officials from Utah and TPD met in 2009 with both Secretary of Energy Steven Chu and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar regarding the fast-tracking of new nuclear programs in the western United States. TPD became Blue Castle Holdings on September 28, 2009. About a week later, Blue Castle signed an agreement with Page Electric Utility (PEU)—an electrical utility company in Page, Arizona —detailing how PEU could become an equity owner in

5330-413: The residential rate for their excess energy that got sent back into the energy grid. As of August 2018, new rooftop solar installations were down 23 percent, likely due to the cancellation of the net metering program. New solar customers are paid by a transitional program that pays slightly less than the residential rate until 2033. People who installed solar panels prior to November 2017 are grandfathered at

5412-487: The risk posed to the nation by approximately two orders of magnitude (i.e., the true risk is about 100 greater than NRC represented). These findings were corroborated in a final report prepared by a special Washington State Legislature Nuclear Power Task Force, titled, "Doesn't NRC Address Consequences of Severe Accidents in EISs for re-licensing?" In Vermont, the day before the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami that damaged Japan's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant ,

5494-695: The spent fuel rods were being put too quickly into the spent storage pool and that the number of rods in the pool exceeded specifications. Management ignored him, so he went directly to the NRC, which eventually admitted that it knew of both of the forbidden practices, which happened at many plants, but chose to ignore them. The whistleblower was fired and blacklisted. Terrorist attacks such as those executed by al-Qaeda on New York City and Washington, D.C. , on September 11, 2001 , and in London on July 7, 2005 , have prompted fears that extremist groups might use radioactive dirty bombs in further attacks in

5576-524: The storage, security, recycling, and disposal of spent fuel . Prior to 1975 the Atomic Energy Commission was in charge of matters regarding radionuclides. The AEC was dissolved, because it was perceived as unduly favoring the industry it was charged with regulating. The NRC was formed as an independent commission to oversee nuclear energy matters, oversight of nuclear medicine , and nuclear safety and security . The U.S. AEC became

5658-451: The time of the proposal, TPD had obtained rights to about half of the water needed to run the proposed two reactors. As part of the process, TPD started the process to lease 30,000 acre-feet (37 million cubic meters ) from the Kane County Water Conservancy District in 2009 to supply some of the water needed for operating the plant. The project is projected to require about 55,000 acre⋅ft (68 million m) of water to operate

5740-440: The utility seeking an operating license for the controversial Seabrook plant . In the late 1980s, the NRC 'created a policy' of non-enforcement by asserting its discretion not to enforce license conditions; between September 1989 and 1994, the 'NRC has either waived or chosen not to enforce regulations at nuclear power reactors over 340 times'. Finally, critics charge that the NRC has ceded important aspects of regulatory authority to

5822-516: The water leased by BCH for the plant. They stated that it could negatively impact downstream people and wildlife. Governor Herbert released a 10-year energy plan the following month that included options for nuclear power in Utah. A poll conducted shortly before the release of that plan showed a majority of those polled opposed locating a nuclear power plant in Utah. A forum hosted by the Sutherland Institute in July 2011 said that Utah

5904-786: The wildfires. Nuclear Regulatory Commission The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission ( NRC ) is an independent agency of the United States government tasked with protecting public health and safety related to nuclear energy. Established by the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 , the NRC began operations on January 19, 1975, as one of two successor agencies to the United States Atomic Energy Commission . Its functions include overseeing reactor safety and security, administering reactor licensing and renewal, licensing radioactive materials , radionuclide safety, and managing

5986-472: The workers in the coal mining industry could be transitioned to working at the Green River nuclear plant as a way to maintain support for local businesses and governments in the area. Public support in Utah for nuclear power around the time of the initial proposal was generally positive. A November 2007 editorial in the Provo Daily Herald newspaper stated 43 percent of polled Utahns supported

6068-467: Was already burning coal and natural gas to provide power to California, and that nuclear power generation would be beneficial in reducing those carbon emissions. Members of the forum also expressed the opinion that cost concerns were "not grounded in any factual basis" due to the length of time since the last nuclear power plants were constructed. Several Utah environmental groups, businesses, and individuals launched multiple lawsuits in March 2012 to challenge

6150-417: Was also waiting for approval on applications to lease the 53,500 acre⋅ft (66 million m) of water needed to operate the plant. After a review period of more than two years, the water rights transfer was approved by an engineer working for the state of Utah. That decision was immediately challenged by a series of lawsuits. After hearing testimony in September 2013, a 7th District Court judge upheld

6232-539: Was completed in January 1989. In 2001, PacifiCorp was acquired by Scottish Power . In 2006, PacifiCorp was acquired by Berkshire Hathaway Energy , a division of Berkshire Hathaway , for $ 5.1 billion in cash. In a July 2006 reorganization, Pacific Power's territory in central and eastern Wyoming was merged with the Utah Power territory to form Rocky Mountain Power. In these tables of generation properties owned or partially-owned by PacifiCorp, total capacity

6314-459: Was even performed. Such a conclusion is scientifically indefensible given the experience of the Three Mile Island , Chernobyl , and Fukushima accidents. Another finding was that NRC had concealed the risk posed to the public at large by disregarding one of the most important EIS requirements, mandating that cumulative impacts be assessed (40 Code of Federal Regulations §1508.7). By disregarding this basic requirement, NRC effectively misrepresented

6396-645: Was eventually listed on the New York Stock Exchange and ranked as high as 353 on the Fortune 500 list of the largest American companies. Through its majority interest in NERCO, PacifiCorp was involved in the mining of coal, oil, natural gas, gold, silver, and uranium. PacifiCorp still owned 82% of NERCO in 1993, when it was acquired by the mining giant Rio Tinto Group . In August 1987, PacifiCorp agreed to acquire Utah Power & Light. The merger

6478-557: Was formed in 1910 from the merger of several financially troubled utilities in Oregon and Washington to form the Pacific Power & Light Company . It gradually expanded its reach to include most of Oregon, as well as portions of California, Washington and Wyoming. In 1984, it reorganized itself as a holding company, PacifiCorp, headquartered in Portland with Pacific Power as its main subsidiary. Utah Power and Light (UP&L)

6560-461: Was organized on 6 September 1912 from the merger of four electric companies in Utah, Idaho and Wyoming and was a Salt Lake City subsidiary of a large holding company, Electric Bond and Share Company (EBASCO) of New York. Within four years of its organization, UP&L had purchased twenty-seven other electric companies in the general Utah area, and eventually absorbed more than one hundred thirty. In 1881, one of those companies had made Salt Lake City

6642-469: Was shut down on December 29, 2014. New York state eventually closed Indian Point Energy Center , in Buchanan, 30 miles from New York City, on April 30, 2021. In 2019 the NRC approved a second 20-year license extension for Turkey Point units 3 and 4, the first time NRC had extended licenses to 80 years total lifetime. Similar extensions for about 20 reactors are planned or intended, with more expected in

6724-531: Was spawn from legislation passed in 2016 that called for more renewable energy from the state's utility companies. As of May 1, 2007, Rocky Mountain Power serves approximately 758,000 customers in Utah, 129,000 customers in Idaho, and 67,000 customers in Wyoming. In November 2017, Rocky Mountain Power made a deal with Utah's utility authorities to phase out net metering . The program was paying customers who generated their own electricity with rooftop solar panels

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