Duke Energy has submitted its $1.2 billion plan for decommissioning the Crystal River 3 nuclear plant in Florida to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
The plan calls for the nuclear fuel at Crystal River 3 to remain in the shuttered plant's storage pools until a new system for storing the fuel in dry casks is built on the site.
The decommissioning is expected to take about 60 years, with completion slated for 2074.
"Decommissioning the Crystal River nuclear plant will be a well-defined process, with significant NRC oversight," says Terry Hobbs, Duke's director for the project. "The plant will remain in a safe, stable condition, and our comprehensive emergency plan and 24/7 security force will remain in place."
Charlotte-based Duke (NYSE:DUK) says its existing nuclear decommissioning trust fund, future growth in that fund and contributions from nine partners who own minority interests in the plant will be sufficient to cover the decommissioning costs. Eight municipal utilities and one electric cooperative jointly own about 8 percent of the nuclear plant.
Workers remain
Duke says it has about 275 workers at the plant to do the decommissioning, not counting the existing security personnel.
About 200 Crystal River employees have taken jobs elsewhere at Duke. About 100 left the company and received severance packages.
Duke announced in February that it would decommission the plant. The unit has been closed since 2009, when Progress Energy Florida, now known as Duke Energy Florida, attempted to put in a new steam generator. In the process, the utility damaged the containment wall around the reactor.
