NUCLEAR’S WORST WEEK SINCE FUKUSHIMA

Worst Week For U.S. Nuclear Power Industry Since Fukishima?

May 7, 2013 (PR Newswire)

“Two reactors dropped in North Carolina … two reactors facing the ax in California … two reactors blocked on foreign-ownership grounds in Texas … and the passage in Florida of the first legislative rollback of advance cost recovery financing of reactors. All of these negative developments for nuclear power happened last week…

“In a matter of just three days…Duke Energy announced…it will abandon plans for two nuclear reactors at the Shearson Harris nuclear plant in North Carolina. (Earlier this year, Duke announced that it would not repair the damaged Crystal River reactor in Florida.)…[T]he Florida Senate sent a bill to the governor revising a 2006 law allowing utilities to charge for nuclear reactors that may never be built. To date, the "advance cost recovery" provision has permitted Florida Power & Light Co. and Duke Energy (formerly Progress Energy Florida) to collect more than $1.4 billion from customers.”

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“Southern California Edison told investors…one or both reactors at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Stations (SONGS) face permanent shutdown if the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) does not move immediately to permit the damaged reactors to go back online…[and] a SONGS whistleblower released a photo showing a portion of the reactor project that had been repaired with plastic sheeting, masking tape and broomsticks…

“…[and the] U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ruled that a partnership between NRG Energy Inc. and Toshiba Corp. to build the pair of proposed South Texas Project reactors violates a U.S. law prohibiting foreign control of nuclear power plants. In March, the NRC failed to strike down a similar finding that the proposed Calvert Cliffs-3 reactor project in Maryland is dominated by foreign companies…”

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