THE 80 CLUB: Celebrating America’s Longest-Serving Nuclear Reactors

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THE 80 CLUB: Celebrating America's Longest-Serving Nuclear Reactors

https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/80-club-celebrating-americas-longest-serving-nuclear-reactors

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The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has granted second license renewals to a select group of commercial reactors, allowing them to operate for up to 80 years. These extensions follow the standard 40-year initial licensing period and a subsequent 20-year renewal. This regulatory trend enables the continued operation of aging infrastructure within the existing fleet of 94 domestic reactors.

U.S. nuclear plants are licensed for 40 years. Some have received 20-year extensions not once but twice, extending their lifespans to 80 years.

The United States has been a global leader in nuclear power generation for decades. The nation's 94 commercial reactors — more than any other nation on earth — have been generating reliable, affordable energy for American homes and businesses since the late 1960s. And they're still going strong.

U.S. nuclear power plants are initially licensed for 40 years, but the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) can extend reactor licenses by 20 years at a time.

Read the full article at Energy.gov:
https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/80-club-celebrating-americas-longest-serving-nuclear-reactors