Operators of U.S. nuclear power plants want to extend life to 80 years

NEW YORK – The United States is set to become the first nation to decide whether it’s safe to operate nuclear power plants for 80 years, twice as long as initially allowed.

The majority of the nation’s 99 reactors have already received 20-year extensions to their original 40-year operating licenses. Now, operators led by Dominion Resources want to expand the time frame further, potentially creating a precedent for an aging global fleet at a time when the economics of the industry are undergoing dramatic change.

http://www.startribune.com/operators-of-u-s-nuclear-power-plants-want-to-extend-life-to-80-years/358293621/