US-based power company Vistra has secured a licence extension for its 2.4GW Comanche Peak nuclear power plant, allowing operations to continue until 2053.

This extension is 20 years beyond the plant's original licensing period.

The country's Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved the extension following Vistra's application in October 2022.

The decision to extend Comanche Peak's operation is set to provide ongoing economic benefits to the local community.

The plant employs 600 staff and more than 200 permanent contractors. During refuelling outages, which are necessary for the two reactors, the plant hires an additional 800 to 1,200 skilled technicians from across the country.

Comanche Peak, which houses two units, is now the third of Vistra's four nuclear facilities to have its licence renewed by the NRC.

The first and second units of Comanche Peak are authorised to operate until 2050 and 2053 respectively.

Vistra's other nuclear plants include the Beaver Valley nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania, with licences for its two units valid until 2036 and 2047, and Davis-Besse in Ohio, licensed until 2037.

The Perry nuclear power plant in Ohio, another Vistra facility, has also filed for a licence renewal in 2023 and is currently under NRC review.

Vistra president and CEO Jim Burke stated: “With demand for electricity growing at a rapid pace, reliable sources of power, like Comanche Peak, are going to be absolutely essential to meeting that need.

“Importantly, this demand growth is happening at the same time as the country is transitioning to cleaner energy sources and many fossil plants are retiring.

“Electricity is one of the most basic building blocks of the economy, and extending the operation of our nuclear fleet provides decades of support for both existing and growing sectors.”