Selecting the Right Site for New Nuclear Generation Southern Nuclear Operating Company Tom Moorer...

Selecting the Right Site for New Selecting the Right Site for New Nuclear GenerationNuclear Generation

Southern Nuclear Operating CompanySouthern Nuclear Operating Company

Tom Moorer – Nuclear Development Tom Moorer – Nuclear Development Environmental ManagerEnvironmental Manager

Selecting the Right Site for New Nuclear Generation

The Past• There are 104 operating nuclear units in the US,

located at 65 sites in 31 states.• The last unit was completed over 20 years ago

The Present• Beginning in 2005, the first of four Early Site Permits

(ESPs) were submitted to NRC for review.• By the end of 2008, there were 17 COL applications in

line for NRC review• Volatile gas prices, the threat of Carbon controls, and

an increasing need for baseload generation has brought nuclear to the top of the list as a new generation option.


• The Future

• As the first wave of new nuclear moves toward construction with online dates from 2016 to 2018, a second wave is building behind it for 2020 and beyond.

• Much of this first wave will be built at existing nuclear facilities.

• Many utilities now have nuclear in their long-range plans for future baseload generation

• However, few have identified future sites and the time for licensing and building a nuclear plant is ten years or more.


• Southern Company is actively investigating future generation sites

• Siting process begins on the office desktop and advances to the field

• Public may become aware as land owners are contacted, officials are

notified, or as on-site studies occur (survey, environmental, drilling)

• Overall Approach

– Internal resources are used to contact land owners

– Studies are lead by internal resources and supplemented with external

parties as needed

• For large multi-owner sites, footprint areas targeted for initial study

to minimize cost, effort, and exposure

– Communications managed internally

– Other considerations managed case by case


• Southern Company began this process by organizing a siting committee.

• Committee made up of expertise in engineering, land acquisition, environmental, licensing, civil/geotechnical, seismic, EP, hydrology, socioeconomics…

• Screening process is used. Developed based on RegGuide 4.7, EPRI Siting Guide, local input

• Screening process produces a numerical score that is used to rank-order potential sites

Southern Company Nuclear Site CriteriaSite Preferences

Water major river source (2200 MW ~80 MGD)

Transmission proximity to major 230 or 500 kV lines; with redundancy for reliability

Transport Rail or barge for heavy loads

Footprint >2000 acre site w/ 640 acre footprint

Site Avoidances

Population <500 persons per square mile

Airports >10 miles

State Lines >10 miles

Military Bases >10 miles

Federal Lands (parks, recreation, wilderness…)

Hazards (other industry, facilities, pipelines…)

Other Siting Criteria Areas

Health & Safety (seismic, geology, flooding, hazards…)

Environmental (wetlands, species, habitat…)

Socioeconomics (labor, archaeological, viewshed…)

Engineering & Cost (site construction, O&M costs)

Note: A selected site must be capable of surviving NRC’s “no obviously superior alternative site” test.


• After completion of the initial screening, candidate sites are identified from the top two or three ranked sites.

• These sites are subjected to a rigorous “Phase 1 analysis including:– Review of aerial photos, topographic maps, drawings– site walkdowns (at least two site visits)– development of site layout drawings– evaluation of land use and availability– seismic conditions evaluation based on available information – water resource evaluation– other issues with potential to impact site viability (EP,

environmental, etc.)– Development of Phase 2 (COL preliminary budget and schedule)


• Upon completion of the Phase 1process, the sites are essentially ready to support an ESP or COL application

• Met tower installation is normally the first action prior to beginning an ESP or COL application

• Several options are available for land acquisition to support investigative work including options, leases, or fee simple purchase of critical parcels

• Once this point is reached, a Communication strategy is needed to respond to public inquiry


Communication Strategy• As a normal course of business activity, we must

plan and prepare for future customer demand and generation needs.

• We are in the process of investigating sites for future nuclear, coal, and gas fueled generation.

• Site investigations are a part of normal long term planning well before decisions to construct a plant of any kind are made.

Questions?

Selecting the Right Site for New Nuclear Generation Southern Nuclear Operating Company Tom Moorer...

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