NextEra Seeks Approval to Run Another Nuclear Plant for 80 Years
- Company applying to extend licenses for St. Lucie reactors
- Nuclear plants supply more than half of U.S. clean energy
St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant in Port St. Lucie, Florida in 2017.
Photographer: Jason Henry/The New York Times/ReduxThis article is for subscribers only.
NextEra Energy Inc. is seeking permission to run its St. Lucie nuclear plant in Florida until it’s 80 years old, joining other U.S. power providers in a push to preserve the country’s biggest source of clean energy.
The company is asking the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to extend the licenses for the plant’s two reactors for another 20 years, according to a notice Wednesday. Unit 1 was initially licensed in 1976 and has permission to operate through 2036, and Unit 2 was approved in 1983 and can operate through 2043.