Not since before the Three Mile Island accident in 1979 have federal regulators approved a license for a new nuclear plant -- until now.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission voted today to approve a licensing request for two nuclear reactors near Augusta, Ga.

The vote clears the way for officials to issue an operating license for the reactors, which could begin operating as soon as 2016 and 2017.

The partial meltdown of the Three Mile Island plant in Pennsylvania brought to a halt the construction of new nuclear power plants in the United States.

 

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

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