Waterford – Millstone Power Station owner Dominion submitted applications to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Friday to amend its licenses for Units 2 and 3 to allow them to use cooling water from Long Island Sound up to 80 degrees, five degrees higher than the current limit.

The applications are accompanied by a 48-page analysis of how the change would affect Unit 2, and a 56-page analysis for Unit 3.

The company is seeking the change because of a long-term trend of warming water in the Sound that peaked last summer, when Unit 2 had to shut down for three weeks when the water temperature exceeded 75 degrees. The cooling water intake pipes for Unit 3 draw water from a colder, deeper part of the Sound that did not exceed the current temperature limit.

Dominion spokesman Ken Holt said Tuesday that the analysis showed that no significant modifications to the plants would be needed.

A decision by the NRC should be made sometime in 2014, NRC spokesman Neil Sheehan said.

j.benson@theday.com