Wolf Creek licence extended 20 years

21 November 2008

The operating licence for the Wolf Creek nuclear power plant in Kansas has been renewed for a further 20 years by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The plant's operator, Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corp (WCNOC), submitted its licence renewal application in September 2006. The NRC's environmental review for the licence renewal concluded that there were no environmental impacts that would preclude renewal of the licence for environmental reasons. After reviewing the plant's safety systems and specifications, the NRC also concluded that there were no safety concerns that would preclude licence renewal. With the renewal, the licence is extended until 11 March 2045. Wolf Creek is a single unit plant, with an 1135 MWe pressurized water reactor (PWR), which began operating in 1985. The Wolf Creek licence renewal brings the total number of US renewals to 49 reactors.