The
US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has required the owners of Maine
Yankee, Connecticut Yankee and Yankee Rowe nuclear plants in the
northeastern US to guard against foreign control, domination or
influence over the companies' decision-making on matters relating to
public health and safety, security, or access to classified information.
The NRC action came in the form of “confirmatory orders” issued to the owners of the three nuclear power stations June 5.
During
an NRC review of the merger between Northeast Utilities and NSTAR, NRC
discovered that the three Yankee companies – subsidiaries of NSTAR and
NU – had significant foreign ownership.
The
previous changes in ownership occurred incrementally over time through
transactions that did not affect the NRC licenses or require NRC
approval.
The
companies hold licenses under Title 10 of the US Code of Federal
Regulations Part 50 for decommissioned nuclear power plants that
maintain onsite spent nuclear fuel storage facilities.
Because
the licenses are under Part 50, they are subject to NRC restrictions on
foreign ownership, control and domination of nuclear power facilities.
Those
former nuclear plants were Connecticut Yankee in Haddam Neck, Conn.,
Yankee Rowe in Rowe, Mass. (operated by Yankee Atomic Power Co.), and
Maine Yankee in Wiscasset, Maine.
The
NRC review of the NU/NSTAR merger found that three foreign corporations
– Iberdrola of Spain, National Grid of the United Kingdom, and Emera of
Canada – share ownership interests through their subsidiaries in the
Yankee companies.
The
combined foreign ownership interest is 74 percent of Maine Yankee, 25.5
percent of Connecticut Yankee, and 44 percent of Yankee Atomic, with
the largest percentage of ownership of one foreign corporation being
Iberdrola owning 38 percent of Maine Yankee.
NRC
issued separate violations to the Yankee companies in January, citing
them for non- compliance with the foreign ownership and control
regulations. The violations were severity level IV, the least serious
level.
There
have been no safety or security consequences identified, the regulator
said. The confirmatory orders require the companies to ensure that the
partial foreign ownership of the companies does not lead to foreign
control, domination or influence over the companies' decision-making on
matters relating to public health and safety, security, or access to
classified information.
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