nuclear-news

Florida and Georgia – renewables and energy efficiency cheaper than new nuclear plants

Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy Cheaper and Safer than Building New Nuclear Plants in Florida and Georgia, Report Finds,Union of Concerned Scientists, WASHINGTON (October 6, 2011)—According to a new report, ratepayers in Florida and Georgia would be better served by investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy resources, rather than building new nuclear reactors in those states. The report, “Big Risks, Better Alternatives,” (PDF) was released today by Synapse Energy Economics, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based consulting and research firm. 
The report, prepared for the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), takes a close look at two nuclear power projects: Progress Energy’s proposal to build Levy 1 and 2 in Florida, and a Georgia Power-led consortium plan to build two new reactors, Vogtle 3 and 4, at an existing nuclear power facility in Georgia. Both projects were proposed in 2006 to meet then-anticipated growth in electricity demand.

The report evaluates both nuclear projects and compares them with other low-carbon alternatives that could meet projected consumer demand at lower cost and risk.

“The report shows that there are major risks associated with the construction of both the Levy and Vogtle projects,” said Ellen Vancko, UCS’s nuclear energy and climate change project manager. “They include cost escalation, construction and regulatory delays, and lack of transparency, all of which could lead to much higher costs for Georgia and Florida ratepayers.” …

http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release/energy-efficiency-renewable-0565.html

October 7, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, USA