East New Mexico News

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission in a preliminary determination on March 18 said a new nuclear generating station will have no environmental impact on Lea County and is now seeking public comment on the project, the Sandpaper.net reported.

The nuclear fuel repository proposed by the parent company of the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station would be located on 1,040 acres in southeast New Mexico.

The NRC’s preliminary determination makes the project closer to the commission issuing a license for the facility.  

The NRC is now seeking public comment on its environmental impact report.

Holtec International, a Camden-based company, submitted an application in 2017 for phase one of its proposed repository.

Holtec is seeking to store 5,000 metric tons of uranium in approximately 500 spent nuclear fuel canisters. The canisters could hold up to 8,680 metric tons of uranium from nuclear reactors and a small quantity of spent mixed-oxide fuel, the Sandpaper.net reported.

The canisters would be transported by rail from decommissioned commercial nuclear power plans countrywide.

 “The NRC’s draft EIS validates our technical position that our proposed subterranean fuel storage facility entails no adverse consequences to the environment or to other enterprises such as oil and gas, ranching and farming operating in the area,” said Kris Singh, Holtec president and chief executive officer.

Singh said the underground storage system has three characteristics, including readily retrieval canisters to enable relocation, resistance to terror and hurricanes and will be located in a stable area not prone to earthquakes, according to Sandpaper.net.

“We believe, among other economic benefits to the host community, that our program to utilize the waste heat from the stored canisters to purify wastewater from fracking demonstrates our commitment to the community and the environment,” said Singh.

The NRC considered environmental impacts from both the construction of the project to the decommission of it. They reviewed land use, geology, soils, surface water, wetlands among other factors.

The NRC will review public comments on the preliminary report and prepare a final environmental impact study, which is excepted to be published in March 2021.