Hearing for new reactor at Bell Bend site

NRC ANNOUNCES OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN HEARING TO NEW REACTOR APPLICATION FOR BELL BEND SITE The Nuclear Regulatory Commission today announced the opportunity for public participation in a hearing on a Combined License (COL) application for a new reactor at the Bell Bend site near Berwick, Pa. The site is adjacent to the existing two-reactor Susquehanna Steam Electric Station. PPL Bell Bend submitted the COL application and associated information Oct. 10, 2008, seeking approval to build and operate an Evolutionary Power Reactor (EPR) at the site, approximately six miles northeast of Berwick. The NRC is currently reviewing the EPR for possible certification. The Bell Bend application, minus proprietary or security-related details, is available on the NRC Web site at: http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/col/bell-bend.html. The NRC staff has determined that the application contains sufficient information for the agency to formally “docket,” or file, the application and begin its technical review. Docketing the application does not preclude additional requests for information as the review proceeds; nor does it indicate whether the Commission will issue the license. The docket number established for this application is 52-039. The NRC has issued in the Federal Register (http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-5810.pdf) a notice of opportunity to intervene in the proceeding on the application, and the deadline for requesting a hearing is May 18. Petitions may be filed by anyone whose interest may be affected by the proposed license, who wishes to participate as a party in the proceeding, and who meets criteria set out in the NRC’s regulations. Background information regarding the hearing process was provided by NRC staff to members of the public during an August 2008 public information session in Bloomsburg, Pa. A petition to intervene must be electronically submitted in a timely manner to the NRC's Electronic Information Exchange (EIE) system. The petition to intervene must be filed in accordance with the NRC's E-Filing Rule that appeared in the Federal Register on Aug. 28, 2007. Additional guidance and instructions regarding electronic submissions to the NRC EIE system is available on the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/site-help/e-submittals.html. Detailed information about the new reactor licensing process can be found on the NRC Web site at: http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors.html.