The Nation - News from May 26, 1989

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said it will issue a low-power test license for the Seabrook, N.H., nuclear reactor today after a federal appeals court rejected a last-gasp plea by opponents. A U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused to impose an emergency stay on low-power tests at Seabrook, a $6-billion plant that is already a decade behind schedule and billions over budget. The court order had been sought by Massachusetts Gov. Michael S. Dukakis and others who have tried to block low-power testing. Seabrook officials said they would start preparing for atomic testing immediately after authorization and begin the plant’s first tests within 10 days. Low-power testing, which would allow the reactor to operate at 5% capacity, would be the biggest milestone in the plant’s 20-year history.