TVA's Watts Bar 2 Reactor Receives Operating License From Federal Regulator

WASHINGTON, Oct. 22, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced today that it has approved the Tennessee Valley Authority's operating license for Watts Bar 2 in eastern Tennessee. Following is a statement from Marvin Fertel, the Nuclear Energy Institute's president and chief executive officer.

"This is a hallmark day for the U.S. nuclear energy industry. Even more importantly, this is cause for celebration for the millions of people in the Tennessee Valley Authority's service territory who can count on Watts Bar 2 as another source of reliable, carbon-free electricity for decades to come.

"The Nuclear Energy Institute congratulates TVA, Bechtel and other project participants on reaching this historic milestone. It is vital that the United States continues to develop new nuclear energy projects given their importance to meeting both our economic and environmental goals. Nuclear power plants are the leading source of carbon-free electricity in nearly every one of the 30 states in which they operate. All told, nuclear energy facilities provide 63 percent of America's zero-carbon electricity supply—evidence that significant greenhouse gas reductions in the electric sector can't be achieved unless our nation keeps the nuclear facilities we already have and builds more of them.

"Watts Bar 2 will meet the electricity needs of more than 650,000 homes and businesses and will be a catalyst for continued economic development and job creation in the Tennessee Valley."

The Nuclear Energy Institute is the nuclear energy industry's policy organization. This news release and additional information about nuclear energy are available at www.nei.org.