The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved a request by PSEG Nuclear to increase the generating capacity of the Hope Creek nuclear power plant by 15 percent.

The NRC staff determined that PSEG could safely increase the reactors' output primarily by upgrading certain plant systems and components. NRC staff also reviewed PSEG's evaluations showing the plant's design can handle the increased power level.

The NRC's safety evaluation of the plant's proposed power uprate focused on several areas, such as the nuclear steam supply systems, instrumentation and control systems, electrical systems, accident evaluations, radiological consequences, operations and training, testing, and technical specification changes. For added confidence in the analysis, the NRC staff also conducted independent calculations and evaluations of selected areas. The power uprate for Hope Creek, located in Hancock's Bridge, N. J., authorizes an increase of the reactor'generating capacity from approximately 1061 to 1225 megawatts electric. PSEG intends to utilize approximately 11 percent of the uprate this summer, increasing the reactor's capacity to approximately 1185 megawatts electric. The company has not indicated when it will utilize the remainder of the uprate.

The NRC previously published a notice about the power uprate application in the Federal Register providing the public an opportunity to comment or request a hearing. No one submitted a request. The agency's evaluation of the Hope Creek uprate is available through the NRC's ADAMS electronic document database by entering ML081230640 on this Web page: http://adamswebsearch.nrc.gov/dologin.htm.