Nuclear Waste Disposal At Genoa Plant Transfered To A Different Company

A federal agency has approved a transfer of the license for the former nuclear power plant near La Crosse.

The license is going from Dairyland Power Cooperative to a radioactive waste disposal firm.

The boiling water reactor at the power plant at Genoa shut down 29 years ago, but cleanup of the plant, known as decommissioning, continues. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said it’s approved turning over the license for remaining work to the firm, La Crosse Solutions, because the transfer meets federal requirements.

NRC spokeswoman Maureen Conley said that includes approving the firm’s bottom line.

“We look to make sure they have enough financial support to operate and maintain the facility safely during both normal and accident conditions during this decommissioning process,” she said.

Conley said it’s only the second time a former U.S. nuclear power operator has turned over plant cleanup to another entity.

“I can’t predict how many more reactors will choose this option, but certainly the company has at least in two cases demonstrated that this type of ownership does meet the regulatory requirements,” she said.

Conley said La Crosse Solutions has also had to show it has technical expertise, can get insurance and is U.S.-owned and controlled. Its parent company, Utah-based Energy Solutions is decommissioning a former nuclear plant near Kenosha.

La Crosse Solutions promises to speed up work at Genoa, but there have been cost concerns with the work at Zion.