via BBC News
A plan to complete work on a US nuclear reactor at a half-built plant in Alabama has been approved, more than 20 years after construction was halted.
The Tennessee Valley Authority approved the $4.9bn (£3bn) plan to restart construction, which stopped in 1988 amid declining power demand estimates.
The Bellefonte Nuclear Plant is expected to be operational by 2020.
The news comes amidst increased scrutiny over nuclear power following a partial meltdown at a reactor in Japan.
“Making Bellefonte a productive asset with state-of-the-art equipment will add an additional supply of clean, base-load power to TVA’s generating mix,” said Tom Kilgore, chief executive of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
Mr Kilgore added that TVA, the country’s largest public power provider, would make safety modifications from an extensive review of the radiation crisis in Fukushima, Japan.
The plant, located in the town of Hollywood, is about 55% complete and will be leased and operated by TVA, the company said.
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Article courtesy bbc.co.uk
