Press Mention The Augusta Chronicle February 23, 2012
SACE Referenced
Southern Nuclear responds to Vogtle license challenge
In this mention
Southern Nuclear filed a motion to dismiss a legal challenge to the Vogtle nuclear plant licensing, arguing that a 20-page motion filed by environmental groups including the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy exceeded the 10-page limit. The groups had sought judicial review after the NRC rejected their petition to halt construction due to unresolved safety concerns related to the Fukushima crisis.
Full transcript
Southern Nuclear responds to Vogtle license challenge
By Rob Pavey
Staff Writer
Friday, Feb. 24, 2012 11:23 AM
Last updated 10:45 PM
Southern Nuclear wants a legal challenge to the licensing of new reactors at Plant Vogtle dismissed because the motion filed by environmental groups was too long.
A consortium of groups asked for judicial review of its request that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission – which issued a combined operating license Feb. 9 – halt further construction due to unresolved safety concerns related to the crisis in Fukushima.
The NRC rejected the petition Feb. 10, after which the groups sought judicial relief in U.S. District Court.
In a motion dated Wednesday and made public Friday, Southern Nuclear said the petitioners – Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, Center for a Sustainable Coast and Georgia Women's Action for New Directions – "greatly exceeded the 10-page limit on motions to stay."
The company wants the groups' 20-page motion "struck in its entirety," or as an alternative, the rules should be changed to allow Southern Nuclear the same number of pages for a response, "in order to afford SNC a fair opportunity to respond," the motion said.
Work continues at the Burke County site. The $14 billion project includes two new AP1000 reactors, scheduled to go online in 2016 and 2017.