SEABROOK — A decision by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Tuesday to hold off on rendering final decisions on any pending new reactor or re-licensing applications will not affect Seabrook Station.

NextEra Energy is seeking a 20-year license extension for the Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant, but the process has been delayed because of an identified issue with concrete.

The NRC has asked NextEra for additional information on how they plan to deal with Alkali-Silica Reaction in the long-term before any further review of the renewal application.

Neil Sheehan, NRC public affairs officer for region 1 said NRC staff will continue to review applications, but no final decisions will be made.

“We are not going to reach a final decision on any license renewal applications until this Waste Confidence Decision is addressed,” Sheehan said. “But it is not an urgent issue for Seabrook, since they are in a holding pattern because of the concrete degradation issue. But, it could be down the road.”

Sheehan said going back many years, the NRC issued a decision that they have confidence that spent nuclear fuel at power plants will be removed within 30 years after plants cease operations and are decommissioned. But, because of uncertainties related to Yucca Mountain, a site in Nevada that had been designated for nuclear waste, Sheehan said the commission decided to revisit their Waste Confidence Decision, and updated it to say waste will be removed within 60 years.

Several states and environmental groups filed lawsuits against the NRC saying the decision was not properly analyzed.

A Washington, D.C. circuit court of appeals issued a decision remanding the issue back to NRC.

Subsequently several environmental groups filed petitions with the NRC stating that all application reviews should be halted.

On Tuesday, the commission that oversees the NRC advised staff to continue with its reviews, but to hold off on any final decisions until the spent nuclear fuel storage issues are resolved.

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Gretyl Macalaster may be reached at gmacalaster@newstote.com.