NRC Greenlights Nuclear Plant Restart—No Drama, Just Clean Energy
Published Date: 9/25/2026
Notice
Summary
Constellation Energy wants to keep the Christopher M. Crane Clean Energy Center running, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission says it’s safe to do so without harming the environment. The Department of Energy might help with a loan to refuel and restart the plant. This means clean energy keeps flowing, jobs stay secure, and the project moves forward starting September 2026.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Reauthorization Keeps 835 MW Online
The NRC decision would allow the Christopher M. Crane Clean Energy Center to be refueled and returned to power operations through April 19, 2034, restoring 835 megawatts-electric of baseload power to the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland electric grid. This preserves the plant’s ability to supply electricity to the regional grid if the NRC grants the requested exemption and three license amendments.
No-Action Could Mean Significant New Impacts
The NRC evaluated a no-action alternative and determined that not reauthorizing power operations could lead to potentially SIGNIFICANT environmental impacts from the construction and operation of new replacement power facilities. In other words, denying restart could shift environmental impacts to new build activities that the NRC identified as potentially significant.
DOE Loan Guarantee Decision for Refueling
The Department of Energy Office of Energy Dominance Financing (EDF) will decide whether to provide Federal financial assistance in the form of a loan guarantee to support refueling and resumption of power operations at the CCEC. The EDF program authority cited includes Title XVII of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 as amended by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and Pub. L. 119-21 (July 4, 2025).
NRC Finds No Significant Environmental Impacts
The NRC completed an environmental assessment and issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), determining that reauthorizing power operations and refueling at the CCEC would have NOT SIGNIFICANT impacts on land use, air quality, water, ecology, historic resources, socioeconomic conditions, human health, waste management, transportation, and accidents. Because of that determination, the NRC concluded an Environmental Impact Statement is not required.
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