NextEra's Wisconsin nuclear plant units get license extension for 20 years

Sept 29 (Reuters) – NextEra Energy said on Monday that the U.S. nuclear regulator has approved the license renewal for two units of its Point Beach plant in Wisconsin for another 20 years. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission's approval extends operations at Units 1 and 2 through 2050 and 2053, respectively. Nuclear power supply is gaining traction in the U.S. after years of stagnation, fueled by surging electricity demand from energy-hungry data centers and the electrification of transportation and manufacturing industries. President Donald Trump on his first day back in office in January issued an order declaring an energy emergency, and in late May, signed executive orders directing the NRC to ease regulations and expedite licensing processes for reactors and power plants. NextEra said that the two units, which began operations in the early 1970s, supply about 14% of Wisconsin's total electricity, enough to power nearly one million homes and businesses. It operates on a 1,200-acre site along Lake Michigan. The Turkey Point nuclear power plant in Florida operated by NextEra's sister company Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) secured license renewal approval late last year, while FPL's St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant is undergoing the renewal process. (Reporting by Katha Kalia in Bengaluru; Edting by Sahal Muhammed)

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