Bellefonte Nuclear Power Plant Tennessee Valley Authority Jackson County, AL
TVA has applied for a combined
construction and operating license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
to build and operate two nuclear reactors at
its Bellefonte site near Scottsboro, AL and on
the Guntersville Reservoir. The two
proposed reactors, Units 3 and 4, will together produce
2,234 MW and are projected to come on
line around 2018. In 1988, TVA halted construction of Units 1 and 2 nuclear reactors. The construction permits were withdrawn in 2006. In the summer of 2009, the NRC delayed the Draft Environmental Impact Statement on Units 3 and 4 until at least 2011 citing the need for TVA to decide if it will proceed with Units 1 and 2.
TVA’s unfinished Bellefonte nuclear power plant Hollywood, Alabama
Fractures, Faults and Fission
Bellefonte is Not Suitable for Nuclear Reactors
The Tennessee Valley Authority’s Bellefonte site near Scottsboro, Alabama is in an earthquake
zone. Nuclear Regulatory Commission geologic and seismic regulations detail the requirements
for determining whether a proposed site is acceptable for a nuclear power plant.
Groups Say Nuclear Disaster Can Happen Here
Call For Moratorium On All Nuclear Plans
March 21, 2011: The Bellefonte Efficiency & Sustainability Team (BEST), Mothers Against Tennessee
River Radiation (MATRR), and parent organization Blue Ridge Environmental Defense
League (BREDL) issued a statement asking for a review of all nuclear power plants as they
are not immune to the kinds of disasters or accidents that lead to catastrophic releases of
radiation to air, ground, and water.
Demand a Better Way from TVA. Use BEST and MATRR
voucher to send message
As taxpayers and as rate-payers, we are paying
for the most expensive and dangerous form of energy on earth -
nuclear power. Please visit the BEST/MATRR
website to printout their 'check' voucher then send it in
with your electric bill payment.
Joint Petitioners' Respond to TVA's Motion to Strike Supplemental Basis for Contention 6 regarding Bellefonte Nuclear facility
Rust Never Sleeps: Bellefonte Nukes Would Threaten Tennessee Valley
Jan. 11, 2010: Joint Petitioners file Supplemental Basis for
Previously Submitted Contention 6 - TVA has not and cannot meet
the NRC's Quality Assurance and Quality Control Requirements.
The accident in the
nuclear reactor's containment area and the history of
prior failures all point to further problems if the
Commission were to allow the completion of the virtually
moth-eaten 35-year old reactors following years of
salvage operations and lack of maintenance and oversight.
Aug. 6, 2009: Citizens Groups Claim Victory - Commission Delays Nuclear Plants at Bellefonte: Today citizens’ groups claimed a victory in their fight against Tennessee Valley Authority’s drive to build four nuclear power plants in northeast Alabama. According to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, further action on TVA’s proposal is halted until at least 2011. Spokespersons for the citizens’ groups see the two-year delay as vindication of their stand against TVA’s plan to complete two nuclear power reactors and to add two more at its Bellefonte site near Scottsboro.
BREDL Press Release | NRC Letters regarding delay
June 3, 2009: BREDL files legal brief with NRC.
In short, the law does not authorize the NRC to reinstate a
construction permit that has been terminated. Therefore, the
Commission should vacate its decision and void TVA’s
construction permits for Bellefonte Units 1 and 2. BREDL Legal
Brief
May 14, 2009: GROUPS TAKE AIM AT
BELLEFONTE 1 AND 2 - Today three citizens’ groups
announced a new lawsuit against TVA’s Bellefonte nuclear
site in Alabama. The groups’ effort centers on the
mothballed nuclear reactor units 1 and 2. They based their
opposition on 14 separate flaws in the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission’s recent approval of a construction permit. The
lawsuit was filed by the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League,
the Bellefonte Efficiency and Sustainability Team and the
Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.
"NRC’s got the cart before the horse.
Contrary to their own procedural requirements, they’re
handing out construction permits for reactors on a 40
year old gutted plant site before new reactor designs
have been approved and before environmental impacts have
been determined." - Sandra Kurtz, a
member of BREDL's Bellefonte Efficiency and
Sustainability Team.
March 31, 2009: Yesterday the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense
League filed a Petition for Review in the US Court of Appeals of
the Bellefonte nuclear power plant in Alabama. The League seeks
judicial review of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s
reinstatement of construction permits for two nuclear reactors,
the so-called Bellefonte 1 and 2. BREDL Press
Release | Petition
for Review | NRC's
voting record
GROUP CHARGES NEW NUKES MUST
WAIT
FOR RADIOACTIVE WASTE SOLUTION
March 10, 2009: Yesterday in a
flurry of legal activity the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense
League filed new arguments opposing nuclear reactor licenses in
Virginia, South Carolina and Alabama. The League acted because of
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's failure to recognize that
high-level radioactive waste storage would pose significant
environmental risks at proposed nuclear power plants at TVA's
Bellefonte, Duke Energy's WS Lee and Dominion Virginia Power's
North Anna stations. Read BREDL Press Release
(includes links to filing documents)
Jan. 2, 2009: BREDL's
reply to NRC and TVA regarding the Amended Contention NEPA-N
at Bellefonte Nuclear Power Plant
Dec. 16, 2008: GROUPS DISPUTE TVA COST
FIGURES - NEW LEGAL CHALLENGE AT BELLEFONTE: Today
citizens’ groups announced new cost arguments in their
lawsuit against nuclear power at Tennessee Valley Authority’s
Bellefonte site. The December 15th filing charges that TVA
provided inaccurate cost information in its environmental report.
In an 18-page request to the three-judge licensing board, the
Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, the Bellefonte
Efficiency and Sustainability Team and the Southern Alliance for
Clean Energy charged that TVA violated the National Environmental
Policy Act. Read
BREDL Press Release | Read BREDL,
BEST, SACE Dec. 15, 2008 Contention to ASLBP
September 27,
2008 Seminar
Middle Tennessee State University
Know Nuclear in the Tennessee Valley
- Afternoon panels on nuclear waste, nuclear transport,
and TVA nuclear reactors Know
Nuclear Agenda
Carbon-Free and Nuclear-Free: A Roadmap for U.S.
Energy Policy - An evening with nationally-renowned
energy expert Arjun Makhijani, Ph.D. Arjun
Makhijani Bio
Saturday,
September 27, 2008
Middle Tennessee State University
Keathley University Center
Murfeesboro, TN
Know Nuclear in the Tennessee Valley
11:30am - 6:00pm
Room 322
Registration: $10.00 | Students Free
Carbon Free and Nuclear Free
Theater on 2nd Floor
7:30pm
Free and Open to the Public
September 11, 2008: The legal brief BREDL filed today calls on
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to suspend Tennessee Valley
Authority's request to build and operate new nuclear reactors at
Bellefonte. Contention Twenty details the total failure of TVA to
include Bellefonte Units 1 and 2 with Bellefonte Units 3 and 4 in
its application. In the 1970's TVA had planned to build two
reactors, called Bellefonte 1 and 2, but abandoned the plan after
spending about $4 billion. Earlier this year, TVA requested a
license to build two new reactors, designated 3 and 4, at the
Bellefonte site in Alabama. Last month, TVA asked the NRC to
re-instate the permits for Bellefonte 1 and 2. Our brief details
TVA's illegal attempt to circumvent the National Environmental
Policy Act by failing to include the impacts of four nuclear
reactors at Bellefonte. Read BREDL's
Contention
July 25, 2008: The Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League,
its chapter Bellefonte Efficiency and Sustainability Team and the
South Alliance for Clean Energy (“Petitioners”) hereby
file this motion to admit all portions of our reply to NRC staff
and the Tennessee Valley Authority filed July 8, 2008. Read July 25 Motion
July 18, 2008: In accordance with the Atomic Safety and
Licensing Board Panel’s Memorandum and Order of July 9, 2008
permitting Joint Petitioners to reply to the NRC Staff’s
filing of July 14 regarding the timeliness of intervention
petition, the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, its
chapter Bellefonte Efficiency and Sustainability Team and the
Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (hereinafter “Joint
Petitioners”) hereby file their response. Read
July 18 Response
July 15, 2008: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission hereby
responds to the “Applicant’s Motion to Strike Portions
of Petitioners’ Reply” filed on July 11, 2008, by the
Applicant (Tennessee Valley Authority, “TVA”). The
Motion seeks to strike portions of the “Reply of The Blue
Ridge Environmental Defense League, its Chapter Bellefonte
Efficiency and Sustainability Team and the Southern Alliance For
Clean Energy to the NRC Staff Answer to Petition for Intervention
and the Applicant’s Answer Opposing Petition To Intervene,
Both Dated July 1, 2008.” (July 8, 2008). Read
NRC July 15 response
July 11, 2008: On July 8, 2008, the Petitioners filed their
“Reply of the Blue Ridge Environmental Defsense League, its
Chapter Bellefonte Efficiency and Sustainability Team and the
Southern Alliance for Clean Energy to the NRC Staff Answer to
Petition for Intervention and the Applicant’s Answer
Opposing Petition to Intervene, Both Dated July 1, 2008”.
The Tennessee Valley Authority hereby files this motion to
strike. Read
TVA Motion to Strike
July 9, 2008: Memorandum and Order - (Initial Prehearing
Conference Schedule; Schedule for Additional Briefing Regarding
Timeliness Issue; Opportunity for Written Limited Appearance
Statements) The participants are advised of the following
information regarding the schedule for the initial
prehearing conference in this proceeding: Starting Date:Wednesday,
July 30, 2008 Starting Time:9:00 a.m. Central Time, 10:00
a.m. Eastern Time (ET) Location: Scottsboro
Goosepond Civic Center, 1165 Ed Hembree Drive, Scottsboro,
Alabama Read
NRC Memorandum and Order
Groups Reply to TVA & NRC
On July 8, 2008 the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense
League, its chapter Bellefonte Efficiency and
Sustainability Team and the Southern Alliance for Clean
Energy filed their reply to Tennessee Valley Authority
and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission according to
administrative procedure rules seven days after their
answer to our petition to intervene in the NRC combined
construction and operation license for a new nuclear
power plant at Bellefonte in Alabama.
The League wishes to thank to all who
contributed their expertise to this reply: Sara Barczak
of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and Dr.
Shawn Young, Diane D'Arrigo and Mary Olson of
Nuclear Information and Resource Service, Dr. Arjun
Makhijani of the Institute for Energy and Environmental
Research, Dr. Ross McCluney and Louise Gorenflo of
Bellefonte Efficiency and Sustainability Team, BREDL's
Duke University Stanback Intern Xuan Chi and others who
contributed to the original June 6th petition including Garry
Morgan of Scottsboro, AL and Dr. Tom Moss of
Huntsville, AL.
July 1, 2008: The staff of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
hereby answers the “Petition for Intervention and Request
for Hearing” (Petition) filed on June 6, 2008 by the Blue
Ridge Environmental Defense League and its chapter Bellefonte
Efficiency and Sustainability Team and the Southern Alliance for
Clean Energy. Read
NRC's Answer
July 1, 2008: Applicant's answer opposing petition to
intervene - The Tennessee Valley Authority
(“Applicant”) hereby files its Answer to “Petition
for Intervention and Request for Hearing by the Bellefonte
Efficiency and Sustainability Team, the Blue Ridge Environmental
Defense League and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy
(“Petition”) and “Supplement to Petition of June
6, 2008 Providing Alphanumeric Designation of Contentions”
(“Supplemental Petition”), dated June 26, 2008
concerning TVA’s application for combined licenses
(“COLs”) for two AP1000 pressurized water reactors at
the Bellefonte site in Jackson County, Alabama. Read TVA's
Answer
June 6, 2008: Groups file petition for intervention and
request for hearing before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
regarding proposed TVA Bellefonte Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 and
4. The petition is on behalf of the Bellefonte Efficiency and
Sustainability Team, the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League
and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. Read the Petition
BREDL Files Supplemental Motion to Suspend
License Process at TVA's Bellefonte Nuclear Plant Action supports
Bellefonte Efficiency & Sustainability Team
April 2, 2008: Recently, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission stated that is unable
to go forward with a key portion of the safety and environmental
review required for Tennessee Valley Authority's Bellefonte
nuclear power plant license. An inspection by NRC found three
violations which TVA must address. Critical information lacking
includes data on surface water flow and earthquakes. However, the
NRC has not halted the process for approving TVA's license.
Therefore, on April 2, 2008 we filed a motion asking NRC to
either suspend the hearing process or delay the deadline for the
public to intervene.
We believe it would be fundamentally unfair for the NRC to
require interested citizens and public interest organizations to
review and comment on an incomplete document, an application to
build and operate the first nuclear power plant in the 21st
Century. On February 29th, Louise Gorenflo of the Bellefonte
Efficiency & Sustanability Team, a chapter of BREDL, filed a
similar request based on other omissions in the TVA's
application. Supplemental Motion
Feb. 15, 2008: BREDL requests Tennessee Valley Authority Board
of Directors to abandon its ongoing effort to open a new nuclear
power station at the Bellefonte site in Jackson County, Alabama.
View BREDL's Comments: Janet
Marsh's comments | Lou
Zeller's comments
