The
merger between Duke Energy and Progress Energy, finalized last week,
created the country’s largest electric utility. It also created a
combined company, called Duke Energy, with a total of 12 NRC-licensed
nuclear power plant units and license applications with the NRC for six
more units.
There
have been a number of mergers before and the NRC’s only interest in the
business aspects of those mergers is focused on making sure that any
merger or acquisition meets NRC regulations for ownership of U.S.
nuclear plants, and that there are assurances of the needed funds to
ensure safe operations and decommissioning when the time comes.
The
NRC’s primary goal is protecting people and the environment through
inspection, oversight and enforcement at nuclear plants and other
NRC-licensed facilities. Whether it is the Duke-Progress merger or any
other business transaction involving nuclear plants, the technical
safety aspects of that NRC role does not change.
NRC
inspectors will continue to carry out the agency’s detailed inspection
procedures at those plants, other NRC staff members will continue to
review all the information to ensure each plant is meeting the
requirements and regulations, and the NRC enforcement staff will
continue to issue violations and monitor follow-up actions if a plant
falls short.
With
the exceptions mentioned above, the NRC staff has no role in analyzing
or reviewing the business aspects of mergers and acquisitions, but
people living near any plants involved in a merger can be assured that
the NRC focus on safety does not change.
Roger Hannah
Senior Public Affairs Officer, Region II, Atlanta
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