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15 May 2009 -- The Department of Energy narrowed its list of the most likely recipients of $18.5 billion in government loan guarantees to help build the first new nuclear power plants, the Associated Press reported.
DOE told four companies planning new reactors in Maryland, Georgia, South Carolina and Texas that their applications have been elevated for closer scrutiny, department and industry officials said on May 15.
According to the AP, DOE spokeswoman Stephanie Mueller said the applications were singled out for closer review because they are furthest along in obtaining a license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. She said DOE has made no decision on who will get the loan guarantees "and has not eliminated any applications."
The proposed projects singled out for "due diligence" review are: Constellation Energy for a reactor at its Calvert Cliffs nuclear plant near Lusby, Md.; NRG Energy for two new reactors at its South Texas Project near Bay City, Texas; Southern Company for two new reactors at its Vogtle power plant near Waynesboro, Ga.; and South Carolina Electric & Gas, for two new reactors at its V.C. Summer power plant near Columbia, S.C.
Last October, DOE received 19 applications from 17 electric power companies seeking a total of $122 billion in loan guarantees to build new reactors, far more than the $18.5 billion Congress has provided in loan guarantee authority for nuclear power plants.
On Friday, John Rowe, chairman of Exelon Corp., which operates 17 nuclear reactors, told reporters after a speech at the National Press Club that he had no intention of proceeding with the construction of two new reactors near Victoria, Texas, without government loan guarantees.
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