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Today's Poll!Nuclear plant debate heats up
Legislation has bipartisan support; foes’ robo calls, advertisements begin
The cooling tower looms at the Callaway nuclear plant near Reform, Mo. Debate has begun on how to pay for a second nuclear plant in Missouri. Photo by Julie Smith.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Sen. Mike Kehoe’s first piece of legislation is facing a barrage of television and radio ads, and robocalls, opposing the bill to help pave the way for a second nuclear plant in Missouri.
The freshman Republican seems unfazed: “I’ve met with those folks and certainly I want to keep an open discussion,” Kehoe said, adding he’s willing to consider changes suggested by the opponents.
Already, the bill and the plan for a second plant have gained some bipartisan support, including backing from Gov. Jay Nixon. “The sooner the process is started, the sooner our state will reap the rewards,” the governor said in November.
The proposed legislation is being pushed by a Missouri energy consortium that includes Ameren Missouri. Ameren spokesman Mike Cleary said the company believes that the current location of its Callaway nuclear plant is “a very desirable location for another plant.”
The Fair Energy Rate Action Fund (FERAF) has opposed the bill with robocalls and a 30-second television ad that has appeared across Ameren Missouri’s customer base. “Big energy is at it again in Jeff City,” the ad starts. “Their nuclear permit? The facts: You pay for it now, even though they may never build a plant.”
Kehoe’s bill, SB50, would let an electric company recover expenses for getting an early site permit from the federal government. Customers would see the cost reflected in their bills after the permit is given, but before the plant is built.
A bill similar to Kehoe’s has also been filed in the House by Rep. Jeanie Riddle, R-Mokane, whose district includes Fulton and the southern part of Callaway County.
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Comments
herewego 2 years, 4 months ago
No matter your stance on the source of the power generated, like many other large expenditures, you can pay me now, or you can pay very much more later. Missouri needs to get started NOW on a reliable source of electricity. They just need to figure out what method, coal, gas or nuclear. Each has it 'Pros' and "Cons", just get started before we have to read the paper in the dark or rolling brownouts like California.
Missouri's PSC will make sure we remain one of the lowest cost energy states, trust 'em. Prices for everything else in our lives fluctuates up and down, energy should be no exception.
Watchyourwallet 2 years, 4 months ago
Here we go again, with more monopoly schemes to add extra surcharges to our utility bills! The issue is not whether Ameren should use nuclear, coal or wind power (they should be utilizing all three). The issue is whether the utility should be allowed to charge us extra to make an investment that may or may not pan out. Ask Florida utility consumers about the upfront surcharges they have been paying under a similar law---for a plant that isn't even being built.
Senate Bill 50 would also overturn the will of the voters who put the current law in place, which protects consumers from being charged for a power plant that is not yet providing service. Does your business receive double-digit profits like Ameren? And is it allowed to charge for a product that that you haven't delivered yet?
herewego 2 years, 4 months ago
Why you zeroing in on Ameren. There are 5 or so utilities in the coalition. You been watching too many untrue false TV ads. As Big Red said, we lost a lot of good paying jobs, jobs that would have paid a LOT of tax money to state and local schools. Didn't see you comment on the higher gasoline prices, or when they raised our garage rates, or water rates. What gives? Why ya mad at Ameren?
Pay a little now, or pay a LOT later.
Rison 2 years, 4 months ago
The Ameren people on here will never admit to Ameren doing anything wrong. The PSC is in Ameren's pocket. We cannot let Ameren and the PSC keep doing this. It is a cycle. Ameren asks for more than they need, PSC gives them less (which is still more than they need) and says they did the public a favor by not giving the entire amount requested, our bills go up. Ameren and their stockholders are happy, the PSC is happy, we aren't.
Buildit 2 years, 4 months ago
I kow I have seen private (unregulated) buisnesses that want to expand sometimes raises their rates prior to construction to build a slush fund for expantion. Utilities are not allowed to do this becouse of their prices being regulated. Just like the unregulated buisness they are delivering a product just they are not allowed to make a small and gentle raise in advance of an expantion expense. The cost of nuclear expantion is so high that without some help most buisnesses cannot afford to do this on their own. The consumer is ultimatly going to pay for the investigation into the possibility of an expantion along with the costs that come with an expantion if it happens. The question is do you want the costs up front or at the tail end with interest. Personally I would rather see a smaller increase sooner than a larger increase later.
As far as Bill 50, many states had similar legislation years ago. But with the cost associated with nuclear expantion most have either repealed or altered them to allow for upfront charging at least to some degree. This is pretty much the only way nuclear expantion can happen at this time. So if we do not change the law then new coal plants or importation of electricity is our only options. Coal plants are much cheaper to build, but with the enviromental concerns this may not be the facts in the future. Letting other states build the plants mean we lose out on the construction, and operation money that comes along with the plants, boosting their economy not ours. Plus Missouri would still be among the cheapest in the nation for electrical costs.
BigRedOne 2 years, 4 months ago
I am an Ameren employee at the Callaway Nuclear Plant. For the last 29 years I have seen and experienced what good paying jobs have done for the area. It allows people to buy homes, cars, groceries, clothing, etc. When these items are purchased they create more jobs for other people. When the “Construction Work In Progress” bill was defeated last year Ameren cancelled unit 2 and with it thousands of high paying construction jobs as well as hundreds of high paying permanent jobs. Don’t let this happen again, it is time for Missourians to get behind this bill and secure our energy future.
3blindmice 2 years, 4 months ago
amen. what I find amazing is the number of incoming lawmakers that seem its their duty to circumvent the will of the people
fultonian 2 years, 4 months ago
WHAT?!? If a grocery store wants to build a new branch they just charge their customers more money before they build it, and they may or may not build it. What's the difference? They are not just getting money from anybody, they are wanting to charge more for a service that they provide just like any place else. If you don't have the facts, please don't comment.
hudson 2 years, 4 months ago
$ 42 million for a permit ?Where is the money going?LAWYERS?WHO ELSE?
Bucky 2 years, 4 months ago
The permit includes the technical description of the plant and that means that a great deal of the planning and design have to be completed prior to submittal of the permit request. So, a lot of the money goes to engineers, designers, machine designers, probabilist safety assessors, computer modeling, etc. Although a lot does go to lawyers.
Bucky 2 years, 4 months ago
I work in the energy sector, not related directly with Ameren although I have done business for them in the past. I can tell you two things. In the current economic climate it is almost impossible for any publicly held private company to begin a construction project the size of a nuclear plant with private money. The reason is that the debt from that project would cause the company's stock prices to go down. As the stock prices dropped due to debt, the company would be ripe for a hostile takeover. So, it would be unwise to take on such a debt, if possible.
The second point is that I was at a seminar a couple of years ago in Washington DC where the Undersecretary of the Energy discussed the results of computer modeling which showed that if 1. we don't keep the majority of nuclear plants currently in operation running and 2. we don't immediately (within the next 10 years or so) begin construction of new nuclear plants, the US will begin experiencing rolling blackouts around the year 2025. The first areas hit will be Florida, then the SW, then the central US.
Fossil plants cannot fill this role because of CO2 emissions issues, Solar and Wind are politically cute but cannot begin to fill the need. So, it is Nuclear Power (unless you figure out a way to harness the energy of unicorns and other imaginary solutions).
JCLifer 2 years, 4 months ago
Quit farting around. Build the new nuke plant ASAP. Labor is plentiful. Interest rates are low. Materials will never be cheaper. We are always going to need more and more electricity with all the electric cars, etc. coming.
I cannot believe that there is any opposition to building a new nuke plant. We need it badly, and if we don't get starting building it now, we are really going to pay for it later.
I cannot believe how short-sighted most folks are.
3blindmice 2 years, 4 months ago
I don't oppose a new plant. I oppose corporate welfare
herewego 2 years, 4 months ago
Most of the members of the coalition are not "Corporations" Most are co-ops and cities. Just admit, you hate Ameren and get over it. OR turn off your lights and go 'native' on wind power/solar power.
JCLifer 2 years, 4 months ago
It ain't corporate welfare when the government so tightly regulates every aspect of the business. You can't have it both ways--either let the free market work, or if not, government needs to support the business that depends on the government for every little decision.
Bottom line: We need more electricity and the sooner we get started building (and paying for) this new plant, the cheaper it is going to be for everyone.
KevinJC 2 years, 4 months ago
I'm confused what your position is, JCLifer. In some of your posts you're for this bill and in other posts you go on a tangent about free market and keeping government out of private businesses. Which is it? you cant have your cake and eat it too. if you want this nuke plant and have everyone pitch in on this project, private sector or not, you gotta swallow the whole government involvement bite. Like it or not, government involvement is necessary for natural resource issues such as these when you have the safety of the community involved not to mention electricity is not a commodity. it's a necessity and should not be privately marketed. Community pay in, community reaps benefits. I'm not a stock market/interest/divident guru but the whole idea of shareholders on natural resources makes me throw up in my mouth. EVERY tax payer is a share holder and what ever dividend should be equally disbursed or tax incentives created.
The whole electric car bit is a fad at most. It's taking one energy problem out of one pocket and putting it into another pocket. "Oh I didnt have to buy one drop of gas this month. I'm so brilliant.....but my electric bill was $800." Taking the oil crisis and shoving it over to electric is not the answer. That is short-sightedness if I ever did see it. Perhaps the state of missouri should ban electric cars and then perhaps the imminent need for another nuke plant would not be as necessary. of course I'm being sarcastic but why are the American sheep embracing this ridiculous electric car idea? natural resources and the law of conservation of energy go hand in hand.....As a community, lets create jobs and get people back to gainful employment. This power plant idea seems to do just that. Building an electric car seems more like corporate welfare.
JCLifer 2 years, 4 months ago
My position is BUILD IT NOW!
I am against government interference in business, but there is no chance of government getting out of Ameren's hair anytime soon. Since government is so involved in Ameren and controls everything Ameren does, then government needs to step in with the cash and the support to help get the new plant built.
Building the new plant it one hell of an opportunity. I can see that some people here are going to let it slip away. I'll bet these are the people who want to build mud tunnels under train tracks, etc.
JCLifer 2 years, 4 months ago
Talk about government interference. Get the government totally out of Ameren's business operations and then I will agree with you.
Corporate subsidy is necessary because of all the government regulation.
TrueJustice 2 years, 4 months ago
Retired power plant worker says. The new power plant will be built sooner or later. With assistance from the users now, the future cost will be far lower than if the utilities involved have to bear the cost burden of building the plant on their own. Staying ahead of the game (generating surplus electricity and selling to short sighted communities) is one of the reasons our electricity cost is about one-half of the rest of the nation. People that have the notion that the power companies have the money to instantly create an 8 Billion dollar complex without financial support live in a dream world that will soon turn into a nightmare, that their children and grandchildren will pay for. A five percent increase in your current bill will save you a forty percent increase in you and your childrens future bills. Our current gasoline cost is similar to the rest of the nation, so is the same for satelite TV, cell phone service, and other luxeries. this is not true for our electricity service, you can find on the web, what the the rest of the nation pays. Wake up people, help build a new plant.
JCLifer 2 years, 4 months ago
EXCELLENT POST!
herewego 2 years, 4 months ago
I second that!
TrueJustice 2 years, 4 months ago
to livefree, sorry your assumption is as a inaccurate as your financial knowledge. no stock or financial ties to Ameren or any other utility. I just know what is the best path for all concerned. Nor is any private company is going to build any cash cows wiithout ripping everbody off.scarlet rola
TrueJustice 2 years, 4 months ago
to livefree, sorry your assumption is as a inaccurate as your financial knowledge. no stock or financial ties to Ameren or any other utility. I just know what is the best path for all concerned. Nor is any private company is going to build any cash cows wiithout ripping everbody off.
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