The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved a 20-year extension of the operating licenses for both reactors at PPL’s Susquehanna nuclear power plant in Luzerne County, Pa.

The license for Unit 1 has been extended to 2042; the license for Unit 2 has been extended to 2044.

“We’re pleased that the NRC continues to express confidence in our commitment to safely operate and maintain the plant for many years to come,” said Tim Rausch, chief nuclear officer for PPL Susquehanna. “Our employees have certainly demonstrated that ability through the safe, reliable and record-setting operation of the plant.”

The decision by the NRC to extend the licenses is based on thorough safety and environmental reviews of PPL’s application submitted in September 2006. The NRC reviewed thousands of pages documenting safety and environmental studies, and programs and processes for managing equipment.

The NRC is a federal government agency that holds every nuclear power plant owner in the country accountable for the safe operation of its plants.

The NRC review process also included a series of public meetings, onsite inspections, written requests for extra information from the staff, and an additional review by the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, which is an independent body of nuclear technical experts that advises the NRC commissioners.

After three years of intensive review, the NRC concluded that no safety or environmental concerns would prevent license renewal and that PPL had effectively demonstrated the ability to manage the effects of aging on plant equipment and systems.

“The $18.2 million PPL invested in this effort is an economical way to ensure the continued safe and reliable supply of electricity for homes and businesses throughout the region,” Rausch said. “Renewal of the licenses also means PPL Susquehanna will continue to provide good-paying jobs and a high level of community involvement and support,” he said. “We are very grateful for the community support we have received, and we will continue to earn that trust and support by operating the plant safely and reliably for many years to come.”

PPL is in the process of a four-year project to increase the amount of electricity the Susquehanna plant can generate. That project, which began in 2008 and is expected to conclude in 2011, is a cost-effective way for PPL to increase electricity generation from existing sources that emit no greenhouse gases. The two-unit plant produces enough electricity to power about 2 million homes.

Earlier this year, Susquehanna Unit 2 completed a 723-day run between scheduled refueling and maintenance outages. That was a record for the plant, and the second longest run for any nuclear power plant in the United States.

The Susquehanna plant, located in Luzerne County about seven miles north of Berwick, is owned jointly by PPL Susquehanna LLC and Allegheny Electric Cooperative Inc. and is operated by PPL Susquehanna.

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