PUBLIC HEARINGS SET FOR PROPOSED SMALL NUCLEAR REACTORS TO BE BUILT IN ROANE COUNTY
During the Roane County Commission meeting this week, County Executive Ron Woody said a meeting is set for public comments on the proposed small modular nuclear reactors that could be built in the county. The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will seek public comments on what environmental matters it should consider during its review of the early site permit application for the Clinch River Nuclear Site in west Oak Ridge. The NRC will seek the comments during two meetings in Oak Ridge that are part of the process used to develop an environmental impact statement. The first meeting is from 1-4 p.m. Monday, May 15, 2017 in the Pollard Technology Conference Center Auditorium at 210 Badger Avenue in Oak Ridge. The second meeting is from 6-9 p.m. that same day. The Tennessee Valley Authority submitted an application last May for the early site permit for small reactors at the Clinch River Site in west Oak Ridge. The NRC accepted the application for “docketing and detailed technical review” in December. A specific reactor design has not been selected. TVA has identified parameters for a surrogate nuclear plant, and the NRC will use them to evaluate the site’s suitability for building and operating a new nuclear plant. Officials have previously said it could be a decade or so before the reactors start operating assuming all goes according to plan.