Since 1976, Missouri law has said that an investor-owned utility company must be producing and delivering a product before it can include its facility planning and construction costs in its rate base, and have consumers pick up the tab for those costs.
While Missouri lawmakers this year have been discussing the idea of modifying that voter-adopted law to allow Ameren Missouri or another utility to seek a U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission early site permit for a possible second reactor at Ameren's Callaway Nuclear Plant near Reform, two lobbying groups have been taking the battle to the public.
They were at it again Tuesday before the state Senate finally debated the proposed law - a debate that ended in a successful point of order rather than a vote.
Missourians for a Balanced Energy Future - the coalition of utility, business and labor groups supporting the proposal - sent ...