Regulatory Approvals Result in Another NorthStar Nuclear Licensure
NEW YORK, March 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- NorthStar Group Services, Inc. (NorthStar) today announced it has closed on an agreement to accept transfer of ownership of the 1600-acre Vallecitos Nuclear Center, in Sunol, CA, from GE Vernova Inc. and GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Americas, LLC (GEH) for nuclear decontamination, decommissioning, and environmental site restoration. The deal, first announced in May 2023, closed following U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission approvals-including license transfer from GEH to NorthStar-and satisfaction of all other closing conditions.
"Our team has developed deep experience in the safe and efficient decontamination, decommissioning, and restoration of former nuclear reactor sites across the country, including the successful implementation of NRC License Termination Plans at five other research reactor sites nationwide," said Scott State, P.E., NorthStar CEO. "We appreciate GEH's recognition of our expertise and the trust in our abilities this deal represents."
The deal structure, through which NorthStar becomes the NRC-licensed owner of the research reactor complex, is modeled on NorthStar's acquisition of the former Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station in Vernon, VT approved by the NRC and state regulators in 2018. The NorthStar-led decommissioning at that former commercial reactor site, praised by Nuclear Regulatory Commission officials as the "best in the country," is currently ahead of schedule for on-budget completion by 2026.
Since the deal was first announced in May 2023, NorthStar has already been active on the site continuing work begun by GEH. In November 2023, NorthStar marked a major milestone, completing the removal of the Vallecitos boiling water reactor (VBWR) from the Vallecitos Nuclear Center and shipping it for safe disposal at the facility operated by NorthStar affiliate, Waste Control Specialists, LLC (WCS) in Andrews County, Texas. As with its other ongoing nuclear decommissioning projects, NorthStar will dispose of additional low-level radioactive waste from the Vallecitos decommissioning at the WCS facility.
The VBWR was the first privately owned and operated nuclear power plant to deliver significant quantities of electricity to a public utility grid, along with several other test reactors, laboratories and hot cell facilities located on the site. Under the parties' decommissioning completion agreement, NorthStar's efforts will restore the Vallecitos complex to conditions suitable for productive reuse for other commercial or industrial purposes.
NorthStar, through its Accelerated Decommissioning Partners joint venture, is also actively decommissioning the Crystal River 3 commercial nuclear reactor complex in Citrus County, Florida under a contract with Duke Energy, following NRC and state regulatory approval in 2020.
For more information about the transaction, please visit https://www.ge.com/news/press-releases/ge-hitachi-announces-intent-to-transfer-ownership-of-vallecitos-nuclear-center to view the statement issued by GEH.
About NorthStar
Based in New York, New York, NorthStar Group Services, Inc. is the world's most comprehensive infrastructure and environmental solutions company. For more than 35 years, NorthStar has provided solutions to both commercial and government decommissioning and closure projects, including experience working with and for major regional electric utilities and U.S. Department of Energy nuclear facilities. NorthStar is licensed in all 50 states. Learn more at: www.northstar.com.
About GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy
GE Vernova's Nuclear energy business, through its global alliance with Hitachi, is a world-leading provider of nuclear fuel bundles, services, and advanced nuclear reactor designs. Technologies include boiling water reactors and small modular reactors, such as the BWRX-300, which is one of the simplest, yet most innovative boiling water reactor designs.
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