Duke Energy Says Crystal River Nuclear Repair Could Exceed $3 Billion

[n2doc]

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Returning the damaged Crystal River nuclear unit in Florida to service could cost $3 billion and take eight years, according to an independent review of repair options commissioned by Duke Energy as it pursued a merger with Progress Energy earlier this year, the utility said in a filing Monday.

The three-year shutdown of the 838-megawatt Crystal River reactor became an issue in the weeks before the merger was completed in July and played a role in the surprise ouster of Bill Johnson, the Progress executive who had been slated to lead the merged companies, executives and board members have said.

Progress Energy Florida supplied the Crystal River report prepared by Zapata to Florida regulators Monday, said incoming utility president Alex Glenn, adding that no decision has been made whether to fix Crystal River or to retire the unit.

Progress said the review found that a repair plan developed by Progress "appears to be technically feasible, but significant risks and technical issues" remain unresolved.

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http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2012/10/01/business/01reuters-utilities-duke-crystalriver.html?hp

[jonthebru]

1. One LFTR reactor would cost that much

and it would be safe.