Xcel returns Monticello nuclear reactor to full powerAug 5 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Steve Alexander Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
Xcel Energy said Monday that full power has been reached at the recently-restarted Monticello nuclear reactor, which has cost nearly double the original estimate to modernize. The company said the reactor reached full power on Saturday, and is generating enough electricity to power nearly 450,000 homes. The reactor's return to full service follows Xcel's disclosure in July that the costs of the five-year project to upgrade the reactor had doubled. Originally budgeted at $320 million, the project was said to have climbed to nearly $640 million. Xcel's 1.2 million electric customers in Minnesota are being asked to pay for the cost overruns because nuclear-related expenses are among the reasons the utility says it needs a rate hike. An administrative judge has recommended that Xcel get a 4.7 percent increase, less than half what the utility originally requested. The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, which has the final say on the rate hike, is expected to act this fall. The reactor was shut down for four months so that workers could complete the replacement of aging pumps and other equipment, a move intended to extend the life of the 43-year-old reactor through 2030 as well as boost its power output. However, the Minneapolis-based electric and gas utility is still awaiting permission from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to operate the reactor at a higher power level. Xcel is seeking to boost the reactor's currently authorized output of 600 megawatts by 71 megawatts. Steve Alexander --612-673-4553 |