Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Make a sustaining gift today to support local journalism!

Ahead Of Hearing On Concrete Cracks, Feds Approve 20-Year License For Seabrook Nuclear Plant

Seabrook Nuclear Plant
Jim Richmond via Flickr Creative Commons
Seabrook Nuclear Plant

Federal regulators have approved a new license for Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant. It caps months of controversy over whether they'd delay the decision, ahead of a hearing this summer on cracks in the facility's concrete. 

That hearing will be between a local activist group and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's law board.

Despite concerns from state officials, regulators have said the hearing is separate from their main licensing process.

The new license includes a management plan for the concrete cracks. Seabrook is the only nuclear plant in the country known to have them.

The new 20-year license doesn't take effect until 2030.

Annie has covered the environment, energy, climate change and the Seacoast region for NHPR since 2017. She leads the newsroom's climate reporting project, By Degrees.
Related Content

You make NHPR possible.

NHPR is nonprofit and independent. We rely on readers like you to support the local, national, and international coverage on this website. Your support makes this news available to everyone.

Give today. A monthly donation of $5 makes a real difference.