HOPKINS, S.C. — The Richland County Planning Commission has pumped the brakes on a proposed expansion by Westinghouse Electric Company, potentially slowing progress on a state-of-the-art nuclear fuel plant in Hopkins.
In a decision Monday night, the commission recommended disapproval of a rezoning request for 52.71 acres of undeveloped land near Westinghouse’s Bluff Road facility. The company sought to rezone the land from agricultural to heavy industrial to build a new facility for advanced nuclear fuel manufacturing. The rezoning proposal will now go to the Richland County Council, which will make a final decision on December 17.
While Westinghouse has positioned the expansion as a step toward producing Low Enriched Uranium Plus (LEU+), an advanced nuclear fuel, the planning commission found the proposal inconsistent with the county’s 2015 Comprehensive Plan, which designates the area for conservation. The plan prioritizes low-impact uses, such as forestry and natural open spaces, particularly near the Congaree River…