A consortium of environmental groups filed an appeal Thursday challenging the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's issuance in August of an early site permit for the planned addition of two new reactors at Georgia Power Company's Plant Vogtle.
The appeal was filed by Emory University School of Law's Turner Environmental Law Clinic and Diane Curran on behalf of five groups: Center for a Sustainable Coast, Savannah Riverkeeper, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, Georgia Women's Action for New Directions and Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League.
The petition for review, docketed in the U.S. Court of Appeals District of Columbia Circuit, contends the NRC violated the Atomic Energy Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and other relevant laws in its decision to grant the early site permit and a related document, a limited work authorization.
At issue is how much construction should be allowed to occur at the site before the final permit for construction and operation is issued. The NRC does not expect to issue the actual license to construct the new nuclear reactors until 2011.
That license, known as a combined construction and operating license, faces several significant hurdles, including an environmental impact assessment and a safety analysis. The groups argue that as delays occur, costs are likely to rise and ratepayers in Georgia are on the hook due to legislation passed earlier this year that allows Georgia Power to request early cost recovery.
Work remains under way at the Vogtle site on the Savannah River in Burke County. Workers there are operating 20 hours per day to prepare the area for construction. Company officials have said the reactors -- known as units 3 and 4 -- will go online in 2016 and 2017, pending regulatory approval.
Earlier this month, the company building the new reactors -- Westinghouse -- was notified by the NRC that modifications would be required in the design of portions of the AP1000 reactors to ensure better compliance with regulations requiring containment areas to be protected against seismic and weather related events. Those modifications are under preparation.
Reach Rob Pavey at rob.pavey@augusta chronicle.com or (706) 863-6165, ext. 119.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Amazing that our so-called regulators have fallen so far as to permit a nuclear project like Vogtle to move forward without a construction license, without a completed Environmental Impact Statement & without the reactor design being approved. The nuclear socialists are milking the rest of us for big rate increases for these costly nuclear projects and are forcing us to accept the risks of a nuclear reactor, the AP1000, with design flaws. Thanks to these public interest groups for bringing this lawsuit for all of us!
I have donated to the Savannah Riverkeeper in the past. I had planned on donating more to them. Due to this "anti-Augusta business" move, they have lost my money and my support. Not only am I going to "cut them off" of my list of charities, I'm going to do all that I can to influence others to do the same.
Eagle Eye:
I'm curious as to what your professional background is? Do you have any knowledge as to how the construction industry works? Based on this article the reporter has some learning to do himself. The twenty hours a day he references I'm speculating is concerning site preparation work commonly known as dirt work. As far as design flaws? Codes and standards change constantly (thats not a flaw) therefore construction projects designed to previous codes and standards due to long term planning and implementation has to be re evaluated constantly to insure compliance. Thats just the way it is. As far as environmental impact studies well they have studied this crap to death. I work in the nuclear field of construction and the vast majority of people reading this article along with our comments has no clue as to the requirements and inspections that are involved just to put two pieces of pipe together.
Savannah Riverkeeper is not anti-nuclear -- they are concerned about the health of the Savannah River as we all should be. Kudos to groups that are fighting the David vs. Goliath struggle so future generations can have a safe, healthy river to appreciate. A river on which our economy also relies.
Thanks for striking a match so us ignorant customers are not kept completely in the dark. Now we can go back to paying in advance for something other states will benefit from more than we ever will. The main line to my house was sagging and appeared dangerous so I called Georgia Power. Several days later an enormous new truck arrived. It had a half-million dollars worth of electronics on it and a driver who resembled Andre The Giant though without that wrestler's pleasant disposition. He handed me a bolt big enough to tether the Hindenburg and left me holding it. Would anyone tolerate such customer "service" if they had ANY other choice? Instead, we continue to elect their pimps.
I wish a construction license would be issued for a new Bowling Center.
The same whiners will complain when they plug in their battery operated cars and can't get enough power fast enough.
LOL. I think you might be right on that...
Well I still think we are getting ripped off by them. The lake levels dropped because of drought...OH YEAH and some little fish. Well if the power plant needs more water what do you think the lake will do now...You guessed it Drop even more because they need the mandated water level. I have another idea let them figure out water issues but also make it mandatory that the states that get to milk the power because of SOUTHERN COMPANY pay for some of the cost instead of us that will not benefit. JOBS thats nothing but a BIG political LIE!!!!!! Those people are not resident to GA and will not live here pay very little income tax not buy property. So what little money they spen here will be gone shortly after construction.
resident - Many local folks made a lot of good money working construction on units 1 & 2. A good number of them are also transient workers who travel elsewhere for jobs, just like the folks who will move here temporarily while working on the project. It evens out.
Eagle Eye doesn't know the difference between a site permit and an operating license. Ok.
First of all tmann44 is a complete moron. Noone is against developing the economy in Augusta. Before ranting about an organization that has done wonders for the community and its drinking water, you may need to do a little more research. You are for economic developement at what cost. All tese new jobs will be created, but what will workers drink when they are thirsty, contaminated water? Know the environmental reprecussions before posted something that makes you look like a fool. It is better to be quite and be thought of as a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
tman - you obviously don't know the fully story and just like the comment above, you need to do your research before making the really dumb claims you've made in this story and others.
FIRST OF ALL - SAVANNAH RIVERKEEPER IS NOT AGAINST THE EXPANSION OF PLANT VOGTLE. They are actually for the expansion but want to make sure the plant uses good conservation methods (such as dry cooling) when the river is used for cooling. The 'suit' that you speak of is in no way trying to take jobs away from the Augusta area. The only involvement Savannah Riverkeeper has is being a part of a coalition of numerous other groups that is aimed at ensuring the water usage by the new plant is safe for the community, which includes those same people that will be working at the plant some time in the future. Although there are other groups that are in favor of stopping the expansion alltogether, SAVANNAH RIVERKEEPER IS NOT ONE OF THOSE GROUPS.
Next time, tman - before you begin your misleading and fictitious little rants to sabotage a nonprofit group that does GREAT WORK for the river, do some research and find out the FACTS first.
And tman - is it really worth risking your health, your children's health and the health of future generations of drinking water to open up the plant a little earlier? Where are your priorities - risking the health of our community so that a few extra dollars can be made.
The sooner they do the prelimary work, the cheaper it will be. It's time to lead, follow, or get out of the way. Sadly, the Savannah Riverkeeper is getting in the way. The amount of water evaporated from the cooling towers is miniscule compared to river flow.