Nation: Nuclear Freeze

Longer ban on new plants

Since the accident at Three Mile Island in March, there has been a temporary ban on new nuclear plants in the U.S. Last week the Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced that the freeze will continue for at least six months and possibly for as long as two years.

During the moratorium, the NRC will establish more stringent safety regulations for the 72 nuclear plants that now generate 11.5% of the nation's electricity as well as for the 92 plants still under construction. The new rules will include two of the most urgent recommendations of the presidential commission, which was...