NRC under pressure over nuclear delays

A lot of money and millions of barrels of oil depend on the decisions concerning the operating licenses for more than 25 almost finished nuclear power plants in the USA. According to a general view of the Atomic Industrial Forum every day of disuse of one unit due to failing operation licenses costs 1 Million dollars in average. The congress, however, could ratify laws that would by-pass the final safety hearings and pass the operation licenses for the almost finished plants in less time than today. The NRC is permanently working on the reorganization of their own licensing procedures, but they complain not to have enough staff to do the work within the desired time. (orig./GL)