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Today's Poll!Kehoe: Return to nuclear vote
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
State Sen. Mike Kehoe circulated to Senate colleagues a three-page “Open Letter to Missouri General Assembly on Missouri’s Energy Future.”
“How we plan for Missouri’s energy future is an extraordinarily important topic,” the letter said. “We have reliable and low-cost power today because we’ve taken long-term planning seriously.”
Dated Monday, the letter was signed by six men who head Ameren Missouri, Kansas City Power and Light Co., Empire District Electric Co., Associated Electric Cooperative Inc., the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives and the Missouri Public Utility Alliance.
That’s the coalition backing efforts to modify state law, so ratepayers could be charged for the costs of a utility’s successfully applying for and getting a U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s early site permit to determine whether another nuclear power plant could be built at Ameren’s Callaway Nuclear Plant site near Reform.
Kehoe, R-Jefferson City, circulated the letter on Tuesday, a day after he urged senators to consider debating, and voting for, the early site permit bill.
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Comments
3blindmice 2 years ago
still waiting for a answer as to how much of the power generated at nuclear plant now stays in missouri?
Rison 2 years ago
Don't hold your breath on that one.
asb 2 years ago
My memory is that about two-thirds of Calloway's power goes to Missorui customers, but that's an old guess and is an average. When power prices go up, Amerun sells more out-state.
BigRedOne 2 years ago
If you read the article you will notice that virtually every utility in Missouri will be co-owners of this plant including the coops. Why would anyone think the power generated at Callaway would not stay in Missouri? While it’s true that Ameren sells power on the spot market all over the country they also have to buy power from out of state when one of their base load plants is down for maintenance.
3blindmice 2 years ago
if thats the case then why can't they come out and say it. neither party will come out and say how much power is moving out of state as of now. The issue is completely brushed aside as though they do not want to provide a answer.
JCLifer 2 years ago
Who cares? Let other states build the nuclear plants and get all the construction and operation jobs. We can just purchase the power from other states and pay higher prices so they can make huge profits off Missouri customers. Ameren won't really care either, because they will add their mark-up and retransmission fees and we the customers will be paying much much higher rates for our electricity, all because we were too stupid to support Ameren and the other utilities to build the multi million dollar new power plant here, providing thousands of jobs for Central Missorians, and bringing unprecedented boosts to the mid-missouri economy.
We don't need no prosperity through good jobs and cheap electricity in Missouri.
wcywing 2 years ago
i am for the new power plant, i just hope someone won't make a petetion and vote no on it. that would be bad.
showmenocwip 2 years ago
First, Governor Nixon said he wants the nuclear power plant because he wants Missouri to be an energy exporter so 3blindmice is correct! So if Ameren Missouri customers finance the whole project up-front, how is that not corporate socialism in the fact that we are paying for Ameren to make a profit in out of state sales?
Second, the price of a second nuclear reactor is going to cost BILLIONS!!! NOT millions. Ameren needs a full repeal of the current anti-CWIP law, by the way that was a voter supported ballot initiative. The current law stopped UE from building a second nuclear reactor because A) It was proven they were overbuilding and B) Wall Street gave up on financing nuclear power in the 70's because it was too risky of an investment. If nuclear power is too risky of an investment for Wall Street, then why on earth does it make sense for the ratepayers to cover the costs of a bad investment?!?!?!
This idea that jobs will come flowing into Missouri if the legislation being debated in Jefferson City is nothing more than lip service. Ameren, if they think the Early Site Permit for a second nuclear reactor is so valuable, then let them and their INVESTORS pay for the darn thing. That is the point of having investors.
In 2008, Ameren spent $160 million for a Combined Construction and Operating License from the NRC and spent part of that money on forging heavy parts for a nuclear plant from Japan. Yes, Japan. The United States will not have union steelworkers making the parts because we lost that industry years ago, due to Wall Street giving up on nukes. Then in 2009 they tried for a full repeal of the anti-CWIP law and failed. I would call buying parts for a nuclear reactor before you know how you are going to finance the whole project a bad business decision. These are also the same folks that destroyed Taum Sauk for crying out loud.
Nuclear projects around the United States are falling apart at the seems. Ratepayers in FL, SC, and GA are paying now for nuclear plants that have been delayed several years or suspended indefinitely. Texas and Colorado suspended plans for nuclear reactors completely in April. Exelon, the largest user of nuclear power said they will not invest in new nuclear because, you guessed it, it is too darn expensive.
A conservative, pro-business state senator from Florida, Mike Fasano, has sent a letter to Iowa and North Carolina to tell them not to pursue the same up-front rate-hikes on customers for nuclear reactors because that is money that could be stimulating the local economy now. No projects in FL are actually being built right now. Senator Fasano voted for the rate-hikes before he realized it was bad idea and is now telling other states not to do what Florida did.
How about we take a deep breathe, evaluate the economic reality of nuclear power and go from there. Obviously, it is not worth it!
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