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| Black & Veatch to support new Entergy Nuclear unit in Louisiana Entergy Nuclear has selected Black & Veatch, a leading global engineering, consulting and construction company, to assist with various analyses in support of preparations to apply for a combined construction and operating license for a possible new nuclear unit to be located adjacent to Entergy Gulf States' River Bend nuclear generating facility near St. Francisville, La. Black & Veatch will supplement a special Entergy Nuclear team, which is evaluating the value and benefits of nuclear plant development for Entergy's customers as a way to increase the system's generation capability, fuel diversity and fuel security, while providing a reliable, affordable, stable, safe and clean source of energy. “Black & Veatch has capabilities that will help us move forward in determining the feasibility of building a new nuclear unit adjacent to Entergy Gulf States’ existing River Bend unit, in addition to helping us prepare the application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for the combined construction and operating license, ” said Randy Hutchinson, senior vice president for Entergy Nuclear’s Business Development group. Entergy Nuclear first announced plans to prepare this application for a combined construction and operating license Sept. 22, 2005. After a projected two- to three-year review by the NRC, such a license could be approved by the NRC in 2010 or 2011. At that time, Entergy could make a decision to build, based on a number of factors, including an assessment of its customers' need for additional power after 2014, the estimated cost and construction schedule of the advanced nuclear energy plant, the future cost of power from the plant, interest rates at that time, and projected cost of other fuel choices such as natural gas. A second unit at the River Bend site is not the only new nuclear project Entergy is pursuing Entergy is on track to receive the first early site permit in the nation from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission possibly as early as fourth quarter of 2006 or in the first quarter of 2007, qualifying the site of its Grand Gulf Nuclear Station near Port Gibson, Miss., as acceptable for a new nuclear unit. In addition, NuStart Energy Development, LLC, a consortium of 12 nuclear companies, has selected Grand Gulf as one of two plant sites it will use to prepare applications for some of the first construction and operating licenses from the NRC for a new nuclear energy plant in 30 years. write your comments about the article :: © 2006 Construction News :: home page |