USA: May 30, 2003
SAN FRANCISCO - Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty will sign a bill yesterday giving Xcel Energy Inc. (XEL.N) more nuclear waste storage at its Prairie Island atomic power plant, the governor's office said.
Pawlenty will sign the bill, approved by the Minnesota Legislature last weekend, in Red Wing, Minnesota, where the twin-reactor Prairie Island plant is located. Without the legislation, Xcel had said it would be forced to close the plant, which generates power for more than 1 million homes, by 2007 and purchase replacement power.
The law will give Xcel more dry cask storage so the plant can continue running until its operating licenses expire in 2013 and 2014.
The company has indicated it will seek approval from the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission to extend the licenses another 20 years.
Xcel plans to add about 12 more steel and concrete storage casks to the 17 already permitted at Prairie Island.
The bill also transfers waste storage authority to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission from the Legislature and targets developing more renewable energy resources for the state.
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