Wake Residents Fight Extending Nuclear Plant's License

Wake — Neighbors concerned about the safety of the Shearon Harris nuclear plant in Wake County are fighting plans to keep the plant running far into the future.

Progress Energy has begun the lengthy process to extend the plant's federal license. The company wants to continuing operating the plant in Wake County until 2046.

Some residents of the area around the plant have formed several public-interest groups to fight those plans. Those groups filed a petition with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 2006 to try to get Shearon Harris shut down.

Attorneys for Progress Energy and for the public-interest groups presented their cases at a public hearing Tuesday night.

Attorneys for the public-interest groups said that the plant has a history of fire-safety violations and an outdated evacuation plan. Residents also said that the plant is responsible for rising cancer rates in the area.

Plant officials said that Shearon Harris has always been in full compliance with safety standards.

The Shearon Harris nuclear plant generates electricity for 1.5 million Progress Energy customers in the Carolinas.

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Latest Comments

If cancer rates are rising why are they still living there (regadless of the reason)? They complain, but I do not see an alternative power source offered and what impact it may have on the environment (and those in it). Fire safety and an evacuation plan are scraping the bottom of the barrel. As a General Contractor the Fire Dept. gives me grief over an extinguisher being a few feet out of Code so these violations cannot be too major or the FD should have shut them down (the FD is as responsible as SH since they enforce Code). A new evacuation plan can easily be implemented (if this is a problem where is the FD).

troywilson
July 18, 2007 5:39 p.m.

"Storage is being built for nuclear waste, it is almost complete, to be buried deep under a mountain, I forget which state in the west at the moment."

New Mexico.

RKBA
July 18, 2007 3:42 p.m.

Bet they all have the A/C running full tilt right now!

RKBA
July 18, 2007 3:41 p.m.

I used to work there. It is safe. Yes extend the permit and build that second unit this area needs power to fuel growth whether you like it or not. Or would you all like to go back to keroseme lamps, candles, no running water, cooking over wood etc?

seeingthru
July 18, 2007 2:05 p.m.

I'm all for cleaner more resposible energy. I would rather have a nucler facility in my backyard anyday over a coal burning power plant. If SH is shut down, where do you think we're going to get our electricity? It certainly won't fall from the sky. (Yes, I know, you think we can replace it with solar energy and wind turbines, but face it, do you know how many acres it would take to create as much energy as Shearon Harris?) Well, I don't either, but I would guess hundreds of acres. And where will Raleigh get all that acreage? Dix campus. But the city coucil would never approve something that unsightly. Shearon Harris gets my 2 thumbs up!!

Joshua
July 18, 2007 12:39 p.m.