Extending the Life of Nuclear Reactors

According to a recent post in The New York Times, economic hardships have delayed plans for a "nuclear renaissance" and changed the industry's focus from building new nuclear plants, to extending the life of existing ones. Nuclear plants initially have a 40-year licensing period, which can be followed by a 20-year extension. Now, the industry is pushing for second 20-year extension for certain reactors, bringing their lifetime to 80-years.

Maria Korsnick, the chief nuclear officer of Constellation Energy Group told the paper that if the reactors up for another extension were allowed to retire, there would be a gap of time between then and the time new plants could be built to take their place. However, The Electric Power Research Institute in Palo Alto, California has raised concerns about the deterioration of the reactor's steel and concrete after being exposed to years of radiation. While the Institute says they haven't observed these conditions to a "worrisome degree," the possibility is there.

Do you think nuclear reactors can handle a second 20-year extension?

Source: The New York Times