NEWPORT — DTE Energy (NYSE: DTE) has filed an application with the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission to renew the license for its Fermi 2 nuclear power plant.
U.S. nuclear power plants were originally licensed for 40 years of
operation. For Fermi 2, the original license ends in 2025. A
successful license renewal process would extend that license 20 years, to 2045.
“For more than 26 years, we’ve made electricity in Monroe
County, and we want to be a part of the community for decades to
come,” said Joe Plona, senior vice president and chief nuclear
officer at Fermi 2. “This application is a renewal of our
commitment to continue to serve our customers with our energy
and be a force for growth in the community.”
Since securing its original operating license in 1985, the power plant has generated 190 million megawatt-hours and represents about 15 percent of DTE Energy’s total generation.
The application includes safety and environmental evaluations of
the plant, which involved more than two years of engineering
reviews to ensure Fermi 2 can safely operate through 2045.
The NRC will conduct an in-depth review of the safety,
environmental and technical evaluations of the plant. The NRC
process to decide on the license renewal takes about two years.
It is a thorough and transparent examination of Fermi 2’s ability to
serve its customers in a safe manner within federal guidelines
until 2045.
The plant employs 850 full time employees, nearly 80 percent of whom live in Monroe and Wayne counties. During refueling outages at the plant every 18 months, Fermi 2 hires more than 1,000 contractors.
More at www.dteenergy.com.