A twenty year extension of the operating license for the Seabrook Station Nuclear power plant could be put on hold for 7 years if a bill currently in congress is passed. The bill before the House seeks to prohibit the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission from granting a license extension to any current nuclear plant licensee who applies for an extension more than 10 years prior to the expiration of its current license. The bill, dubbed the Markey-Tierney bill for the two Massachusetts legislators, would help to ensure that the effects of aging on nuclear power plants like Seabrook are well-known before granting any extensions, so residents can be confident that the reactors golden years won't involve any age-related safety failures. The introduction of that bill comes just after the Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced that it will conduct additional inspections at Seabrook to evaluate the extent and impact of the degradation of concrete in some of the plant's key safety-related structures.