Constellation Energy's plan to restart the shuttered Three Mile Island nuclear site in Pennsylvania, now renamed the Crane Clean Energy Center, has cleared another key regulatory step. On June 8, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a draft environmental assessment and a draft finding of no significant impact for public comment, concluding that the restart would have no significant environmental effects.
Constellation is positioned to begin producing electricity at the site again by late 2027. The restart is part of a broader wave of returning capacity in the US nuclear fleet. Holtec's Palisades plant in Michigan became the first reactor ever approved by the NRC for restart and is scheduled to return to service later this year, while the Duane Arnold plant in Iowa is targeted to follow in 2029.
Nuclear power remains a substantial part of the US grid. The country's 94 licensed nuclear reactors generate almost 20 percent of the nation's electricity, providing steady output that runs independent of weather conditions. The restart projects aim to add firm capacity at a time when electricity demand is climbing.
The NRC has also moved to speed its own processes. The agency has cut subsequent license renewal review timelines by more than 50 percent and adjusted its Reactor Oversight Process to reduce baseline inspection hours by 40 percent. Supporters of the changes say faster reviews help bring idle capacity back online and clear the path for new construction, while the agency maintains that safety oversight standards remain in place.
Source: E&E News by POLITICO - https://www.eenews.net/articles/three-mile-island-restart-closes-in-on-nrc-approval/