NRC issues preliminary EA/FONSI for Crane restart
On June 1, the planned restart of the Crane nuclear power plant (formerly Three Mile Island-1) received a boost when the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved Constellation’s waiver request to transfer certain rights to the Middletown, Pa., plant.
Two days later, the restart—which could happen as early as 2027—hit another significant milestone when the Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced that its preliminary environmental assessment review determined the restart would have no significant environmental impacts. The NRC posted the draft environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact on Monday.
What this means: The issuance of the draft EA and FONSI could expedite the Crane restart process, as an EA/FONSI permits the NRC to move ahead without a lengthy environmental impact statement.
“Based on its environmental review, the NRC staff has made the preliminary determination that the proposed actions will not have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment. Therefore, the NRC staff has made the preliminary determination that it will not prepare an [EIS] for the proposed actions and that a FONSI is warranted,” the NRC stated in the Federal Register notice.
“Our review of the Crane Clean Energy Center environmental requirements demonstrates the NRC’s focus on core mission delivery, ensuring both regulatory efficiency and absolute safety,” NRC Executive Director for Operations Mike King said in a statement. “The staff is applying a disciplined, thorough approach to this restart review, executing our safety and environmental oversight without unnecessary duplication or delay.”
According to the NRC, the environmental review draws on reporting and input from Constellation as well as federal and state agencies. Because the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Dominance Financing issued a $1 billion loan to Constellation for the restart project in 2025, it also participated in the review.
What happens next: The comment period is now open, allowing members of the public to submit comments on the draft EA and FONSI through July 8. Full instructions on how to submit comments can be found in the Federal Register notice. Electronic submissions via the federal rulemaking website (using Docket ID NRC-2026-0397) are preferred.
Once the comment period closes, the NRC will finalize the EA and make a final determination on whether an EIS is required and if a FONSI is warranted. The final EA and FONSI are expected in September, according to the NRC’s Crane restart web page. A final decision on the restart is expected in 2027.
The NRC recently completed an environmental assessment of the Long Mott Generating Facility—a Dow and X-energy project that would see four X-energy Xe-100 reactors built in Seadrift, Texas. The NRC issued a FONSI for the project in May.
