Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station
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Oyster Creek nuclear power station is a single unit thermal boiling water reactor power plant located on an 800-acre (3.2 km²) site adjacent to the Oyster Creek in the Forked River section of Lacey Township in Ocean County, New Jersey. Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Station is the oldest operating power plant in the United States. Lacey Township receives more than $12 million in tax breaks each year for having the power plant in their township.[citation needed]
The facility is owned and operated by AmerGen Energy. It is the oldest operating commercial power plant in the United States. AmerGen Energy and its owner, Exelon, are currently seeking a license renewal to operate for another 20 years. Relicensing of the power plant is greatly supported by the majority of citizens living in areas surrounding the plant, and by local elected officials.[1]
Unit One is a 610 MWe nuclear boiling water reactor. It first came online on December 1, 1969, and is licenced to operate through April 4, 2009. The reactor gets its cooling water from Barnegat Bay, a brackish estuary that empties into the Atlantic Ocean through the Barnegat Inlet. Fishing off a bridge near this operating station is very popular, due to the warm water during all times of the year.[citation needed] However, it is worth noting that from time to time the plant is fined for massive fish killings due to extremely hot water or fish that get caught in the nets, along with debris, that keeps the water clean to be used within the plant.
Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating station is under review for a 20 year license renewal. The life expectancy of the generating station is in question due to the corrosion of concrete infrastructure that protects the environment from highly radioactive conditions. The surrounding communities are currently questioning the efficacy of a licencse renewal of 20 years on grounds of safety reasons. If a leak should occur it could displace as many as 200,000 families in Ocean, Monmouth, and Burlington counties. Citizens opposing the extensive relicensure have indicated incremental 5 year reapprovals as an option, provided the facility inspects to get reapproval.[citation needed]