NRC delays NJ Oyster Creek reactor license ruling

NEW YORK, May 16 (Reuters) - The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Friday it had delayed a decision on the license renewal of the nation's oldest operating nuclear reactor, Exelon Corp's (EXC.N: Quote, Profile, Research) Oyster Creek station in New Jersey.

"There's no decision on Oyster Creek. The matter is postponed until the 28th (of May)," an NRC spokesman told Reuters.

Exelon applied in July 2005 to renew the plant's 40-year operating license for another 20 years. Oyster Creek entered service in 1969 and without the license renewal would have to shut in 2009.

The commissioners also postponed action on a petition from a coalition of groups seeking to halt all license renewal proceedings, the NRC said.

At 619 megawatts, Oyster Creek can produce enough power for about 500,000 New Jersey homes. It is located in Forked River, in Ocean County, about 60 miles east of Philadelphia.

Exelon's AmerGen Energy Co subsidiary owns the station, while its Exelon Generation Co LLC subsidiary operates it.

Exelon, of Chicago, owns and operates more than 38,000 MW of generating capacity, markets energy commodities. It transmits and distributes electricity to 5.4 million and distributes natural gas to 480,000 customers in Illinois and Pennsylvania. (Reporting by Joe Silha and Eileen O'Grady; Editing by Walter Bagley)