Press Mention PBA (Public Broadcasting Atlanta) April 15, 2012
SACE Referenced
Federal Regulators Reject Appeal to Halt Nuclear Expansion at Plant Vogtle
In this mention
Federal regulators rejected an appeal by environmental groups, including the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, to halt the expansion of Plant Vogtle near Augusta, Georgia. The groups had sought to stop the project citing safety concerns following the Fukushima meltdown in Japan. Environmental organizations vowed to pursue the matter in federal court.
Full transcript
Federal Regulators Reject Appeal to Halt Nuclear Expansion at Plant Vogtle
By Jonathan Shapiro
Federal regulators threw out an appeal today claiming the plan to add two new reactors at Plant Vogtle near Augusta poses safety risks to the public.
Regulators signed off on the Vogtle expansion in February.
Environmental groups had lobbied for the Southern Company project to be halted in order to address safety concerns in wake of the Fukushima meltdown in Japan.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has rejected that request.
"We feel we have enough information to appropriately examine the potential environmental impacts and we have enough information to make the necessary safety findings," said NRC spokesman Scott Burnell.
The group of environmental organizations, which includes the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, vowed to take their complaint to federal court.
"The NRC shouldn't allow Southern to spend money building the reactor when it may reveal that changes to the design of the plant are needed in order to protect public safety," said Diane Curran, a spokeswoman for the group.
Meanwhile, Southern Company officials recently requested an amendment to its construction license due to an unforeseen foundation issue. Company officials say the project remains safe and on schedule.