The Nation - News from Aug. 27, 1989

The operator of Pennsylvania’s Limerick 2 nuclear plant was granted a full-power license after agreeing to make nearly $2 million in modifications to bolster the plant’s ability to withstand a severe accident. The $2.9-billion reactor had been in the planning and construction stages for 20 years. Before the 4-0 vote by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Philadelphia Electric, the plant’s operator, and the citizens’ group Limerick Ecology Action reached agreement in a dispute that threatened to send the parties to court. LEA had been pressing for possible design changes to lessen the risk and environmental impact of a severe accident. Philadelphia Electric agreed to make two plant modifications, evaluate others and allow an LEA safety expert on a review team to study risk reduction efforts at Limerick. The modifications were not required by the NRC.