TALLAHASSEE, Florida — The Nuclear Regulatory Commission released a final environmental review Friday for a nuclear power plant in South Florida, recommending final approval to operate for another 20 years.
Florida Power & Light Co., the state’s largest utility, operates the St. Lucie plant’s two units. If allowed to renew its license, FPL could operate the first unit until March 2056, and the second unit until April 2063.
In its recommendation, the NRC said the negative environmental impacts of renewing the permit “are not so great that preserving the option of subsequent license renewal” would be “unreasonable.”
The power plant has been in operation for decades and sits on more than 1,000 acres of mostly swamps, marshes and beaches, according to FPL’s parent company, NextEra Energy.
