The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said late last week that it had renewed the operating licenses for Unit 1 and 2 at the Byron nuclear power plant in Illinois for an additional 20 years.
The two Exelon Generation Company reactors can operate through Oct. 31, 2044 and Nov. 6, 2046, respectively, the federal regulator said.
For the state of Illinois, the week included positive news concerning four reactors. Earlier, the NRC said it had published its final review covering environmental impacts for the Braidwood plant near Braceville, Ill., and that it had concluded there were no impacts that would preclude renewing the licenses for the facility's units 1 and 2.
The Byron facility's two pressurized water reactors are located 17 miles southwest of Rockford, Ill.
The NRC said its review of the Byron license extension application proceeded on two tracks. A safety evaluation report with open items was issued Oct. 30, 2014, and a final report issued July 6, 2015. A supplemental environmental impact statement was issued July 15, 2015.
These documents, as well as other information about the Byron license renewal, are available on the NRC website, the agency said.
The NRC said renewal of Byron’s operating licenses brings to 80 the number of commercial nuclear power reactors with renewed licenses. Applications for an additional 14 renewals are currently under review.
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