The Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Wednesday (1/30) gave permission for an increase in the amount of electricity PPL’s Susquehanna nuclear plant can safely generate.

“This plant has a proven record of safely and reliably producing electricity,” said Britt McKinney, PPL’s senior vice president and chief nuclear officer. “Increasing its capacity is a cost-effective way to meet the increasing demand for electricity in the region from an existing resource.”

The two reactors at the Susquehanna plant were designed and built to operate at the increased power level.  

PPL applied to the NRC in October 2006 for the power increase. The application included an extensive safety report and environmental assessment that received a detailed review by the commission.

The increase will total about 205 megawatts, which is enough electricity to supply about 160,000 homes. PPL will own 185 megawatts of that additional generation; the rest will belong to the plant’s co-owner, Allegheny Electric Cooperative.

On two previous occasions, the NRC approved increasing generating capacity at the plant — by 4.5 percent in 1994-95, and by 1.4 percent in 2001-02.

To increase the electrical output, several systems — primarily turbines and generators, which are non-nuclear components of the plant — are being modified. The increase will be implemented in phases between 2008 and 2010 as plant modifications are completed.

The Susquehanna plant, located in Luzerne County about seven miles north of Berwick, is owned jointly by PPL Susquehanna LLC and Allegheny Electric Cooperative Inc. and is operated by PPL Susquehanna.

PPL Susquehanna is one of PPL Corporation’s generating facilities. Headquartered in Allentown, Pa., PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL) controls more than 11,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the United States, sells energy in key U.S. markets and delivers electricity to about 4 million customers in Pennsylvania and the United Kingdom.