NRC: Exelon Must Provide Details On Fund Shortfall

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission wants Exelon Corporation to detail its plan regarding a decommissioning fund shortfall for the Limerick Unit 1 nuclear power plant in Pottstown.

"Once we receive the (request for additional information) response, we will make a determination regarding reasonable assurance of adequate decommissioning funding for the plant," said Neil Sheehan, NRC Public Affairs, via email on Wednesday.

Sheehan said Exelon planned to request rate relief from the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission later this year to address the deficit.

"The relief, if approved, would take effect at the beginning of 2013," Sheehan said.

As of Dec. 31, Limerick Unit 1 needed a minimum of $628,251,763 in its decommissioning fund, according to an NRC calculations.

"However, as of that date, the unit had provided a total of $528,210,057 in decommissioning funding assurance," Sheehan said.

According to a Jan. 11 letter from the NRC to Warrenville, IL-based Exelon Nuclear President and Chief Nuclear Officer Michael J. Pacilio, Exelon in March submitted to the NRC the 2011 Decommissioning Funding Status report for the Limerick station as required under the Code of Federal Regulations.

In July, Exelon submitted supplemental information in response to a request for additional information from the NRC staff.

The NRC staff reviewed the decommissioning funding status reports for all operating power reactor licenses, including Limerick's Unit 1.

"In that report, the NRC concluded, in part, that Exelon has not provided the full amount of decommissioning funding assurance as of December 31,2010, for LGS, Unit 1," Wednesday's NRC letter states. "Also, the report concludes that Exelon has not provided a resolution for the LGS, Unit 1 shortfall in the licensee's 2010 (decommissioning fund shortfall) report."

In other Exelon news:

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• Exelon Begins Operations at 90-Megawatt Michigan Wind Project

• Exelon Nuclear Partners Signs Agreement With Lithuanian Nuclear Authority