A proposed merger involving a company that owns part of the former Maine Yankee Power Plant Wiscasset will be reviewed to ensure it meets a federal prohibition on foreign ownership of nuclear power plants.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission recently determined that a proposed merger between Northeast Utilities, which owns 24 percent of Maine Yankee, and NSTAR does not meet their criteria for general review, because the transfer does not involve a majority of the former plant, said Neil Sheehan, an NRC spokesman.
However, the new company formed by the merger would have some foreign ownership, so the NRC plans to conduct a review to ensure that federal guidelines are not violated.
Under federal guidelines, foreign people and corporations are prohibited from owning a majority of a nuclear power plant. Because the Wiscasset site houses spent fuel, it qualifies under this regulation.
