NRC Lets Duke Stack More Nuclear Junk at Catawba Plant
Published Date: 4/28/2026
Notice
Summary
Duke Energy Carolinas got the green light from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to keep one loaded fuel storage canister and add nine more at the Catawba Nuclear Station starting July 6, 2026. This means they can store spent nuclear fuel a bit differently than usual, but safely. No big cost changes were mentioned, just a smart move to manage nuclear waste better.
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Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Exemption: Keep and Load 1+9 Storage Canisters
The NRC granted Duke Energy an exemption allowing Catawba Nuclear Station to maintain one already loaded transportable storage canister (MAG-TSC-418-158) and to load nine additional canisters (MAG-TSC-418-155, -156, -157, -159, -160, -161, -162, -166, and -167) in the MAGNASTOR storage system beginning July 6, 2026, even though some neutron absorber panels are slightly below the 0.040 g/cm2 boron-10 areal density specification.
Avoids Extra Fuel Handling and Exposure
The NRC found granting the exemption will not significantly increase public or occupational radiation exposure and stated that allowing the canister to remain and additional canisters to be loaded avoids unnecessary unloading/reloading that would increase worker radiation exposure and operational risk; the NRC published a finding of no significant environmental impact on April 21, 2026.
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