NRC releases environmental report on renewing Sequoyah Nuclear Plant license

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) published its report on the environmental significance of Sequoyah Nuclear Plant Units 1 and 2 in Tennessee on Friday.

The supplemental environmental impact statement contains the NRC staff’s final statement that the impacts would not interfere with renewing the plant’s operational licenses for an additional 20 years.

The Sequoyah plant in Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee, about 16 miles northeast of Chattanooga, has two pressurized water reactors. Unit 1 is licensed to operate through Sept. 17, 2020. Unit 2 is licensed to operate through Sept. 15, 2021. The reactor operates via steam, which is used to spin a turbine in order to produce electricity. The reactor's condenser converts leftover steam back into water, which is then utilized to produce more steam. The plant's operator, the Tennessee Valley Authority, submitted its renewal application Jan. 15, 2013.

The NRC published a draft version of the report last August and held two public meetings in Soddy-Daisy in September to address public concerns. The NRC’s application analysis consists of a technical safety review and an environmental review. The final supplemental environmental impact statement is Supplement 53 to NUREG-1437, Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants.

The Sequoyah Nuclear Plant renewal application and other general information about reactor license renewal are now available on the NRC website.