GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) today congratulated Michigan-based DTE
Energy (NYSE: DTE) on the receipt of its combined construction and
operating license from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
Issuance of this license concludes a six-year process that examined the
technical, safety and environmental aspects of the potential unit, a
1,500-MW GEH Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (ESBWR). DTE
Energy’s license for the potential unit marks the first for an ESBWR and
comes on the heels of the reactor’s NRC certification in 2014.
“We congratulate DTE Energy on obtaining this license which gives the
company the option to add more clean, baseload nuclear power to its
diverse energy mix,” said Caroline Reda, President & CEO, GEH. “The
granting of this license is also an important milestone for the ESBWR,
the world’s latest reactor design to be certified by the U.S. NRC.”
In addition to DTE Energy, Dominion Virginia Power also selected ESBWR
technology for its North Anna Unit 3 Nuclear Power Plant project. That
project is expected to be licensed next year. Both companies operate a
wide range of power generation equipment to meet the needs of customers.
"With this license, DTE Energy now possesses the most diverse,
comprehensive slate of options to plan for Michigan's energy future,"
said Steven Kurmas, DTE Energy's president and chief operating officer.
"The potential of additional nuclear energy gives us the option of
reliable, base-load, generation that does not emit greenhouse gases."
With its advanced, true passive safety systems, the ESBWR is the world’s
safest approved nuclear reactor design, based on core damage frequency.
The reactor can cool itself for more than seven days with no on-site or
off-site AC power or operator action, uses approximately 25 percent
fewer pumps and mechanical drives than reactors with active safety
systems and offers the lowest projected operating, maintenance and
staffing costs in the nuclear industry on a per-kilowatt basis.
In addition to these domestic projects, NRC certification of the
reactor’s design has paved the way for the ESBWR to be built in other
locations around the globe. Key global commercial projects include:
Brazil, India, Poland, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sweden, Vietnam and
others.
Today GE employs more than 3,400 Michiganders, spending more than $3.7
billion with Michigan-based suppliers and supporting more than 1,700
supplier jobs in the state. This includes GE Aviation’s Avionics
business headquartered in Grand Rapids, manufacturing facilities in
Muskegon and a state-of-the-art technical innovation center in Van Buren
Township.
About GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy
Based in Wilmington, N.C., GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) is a
world-leading provider of advanced reactors and nuclear services.
Established in June 2007, GEH is a global nuclear alliance created by GE
and Hitachi to serve the global nuclear industry. The nuclear alliance
executes a single, strategic vision to create a broader portfolio of
solutions, expanding its capabilities for new reactor and service
opportunities. The alliance offers customers around the world the
technological leadership required to effectively enhance reactor
performance, power output and safety.
Copyright Business Wire 2015