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16 April 2008 -- Xcel Energy asked the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to extend its current 40-year operating licenses for the Prairie Island site to 60 years. Xcel is also submitting a request to increase the power generation of each reactor by 80 MW, bringing the two reactor's total capacity to 1,240 MW.
Without the extension, Xcel's licenses on the Prairie Island reactors (each of which is currently 538 MW) will expire in 2013 and 2014.
The NRC has reviewed 48 of the 104 reactor operating licenses in the country and is not expected to make a decision on Prairie Island until 2010.
Xcel officials said they will submit a certificate of need application to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission this spring that asks to store an additional 35 fuel storage containers at the Prairie island site. Some 24 containers are currently stored at the facility. Officials expect to have 29 by the time current operating licenses expire.
Xcel's effort for Prairie Island duplicates requests it submitted earlier this year on behalf of its Monticello nuclear plant.
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