Press Releases
April 8, 2009
NRC Grants Oyster Creek New 20-Year License Extension
Today, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission granted a full extended license to the Oyster Creek Generating Station, permitting the facility to operate for an additional 20 years. This decision is an encouraging step forward in the ongoing challenge to provide a stable energy future for New Jersey. The staff and commissioners at the NRC, along with the individuals at Exelon, should be commended for their cooperation and diligence throughout the four-year review process. Oyster Creek provides our state with over 6% of its electricity and with an extended license, its supply of clean, carbon-free energy is secure for another two decades.
We at the NJ Energy Coalition have worked hard to educate the general public, business leaders and policy makers on the importance of keeping Oyster Creek in operation and we are very excited by this latest development. Nuclear generation must be a fundamental part of our New Jersey’s clean energy portfolio. It is the only source in our state that can provide the consistency and sufficient output of central station baseload power, and it does so without producing any carbon emissions or criteria pollutants. In the coming months, as the three facilities in Salem County begin their respective relicensure processes with the NRC, the NJ Energy Coalition will continue to stress the need for maintaining and expanding nuclear generation’s contribution in New Jersey.
However, there is no single answer to solving our state’s energy supply dilemma. As we move forward, the NJ Energy Coalition’s programmatic goals will continue to focus strongly on the support of alternative and renewable clean energy possibilities. Last week, Governor Corzine signed three bills that will promote and streamline the development of wind, solar and cogeneration in our state. It is the intent of the NJ Energy Coalition to continue its work with state agencies and our members to ensure that existing projects involving these clean energy sources come to fruition and that new opportunities are quickly brought to the state. We will also work toward the upgrade and expansion of our state’s transmission grid along with the incorporation of smart grid technologies. And finally, educating the public how to conserve energy in their homes and businesses is vital to reducing peak demand and increasing overall energy efficiency.
We have made significant progress with today’s relicensure of Oyster Creek, but our work is far from over. The NJ Energy Coalition plans to continue its commitment to achieving an affordable, clean and reliable energy infrastructure that satisfies the current and projected energy needs of New Jersey. Our sincere thanks to all our members and distinguished New Jerseyans, whose ongoing support has made this achievement possible.
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The mission of the NJ Energy Coalition is to generate public support for the production of clean, reliable, affordable, American energy to meet New Jersey's growing energy needs. The Coalition seeks to achieve this goal through increasing the public's awareness of the need to keep existing clean energy providers operational and to promote and support the development of new affordable clean sources.
For more information, please contact:
Andrew Young
Phone:856-308-3656
ayoung@njenergycoalition.org