nuclear-news

Public to pay upfront nuclear costs? Florida Public Service Commission hearing

Florida regulators holding nuclear costs hearing By Bill Kaczor on September 06, 2012     Businessweek Bloomberg TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The Florida Public Service Commission opened a hearing Wednesday on whether to pass the costs of incomplete nuclear power plant projects to customers of the state’s two largest electric utilities but decided immediately to delay action on a request from Progress Energy Florida and soon went into recess.

The panel heard a single Florida Power and Light Co. witness, who was taken out of order due to a scheduling conflict, before recessing the hearing until Monday, when FPL and consumer advocates will make their opening statements. FPL is a unit of NextEra Energy Inc.

FPL, the larger of the two utilities, is seeking $151.5 million to upgrade existing facilities at its St. Lucie plant and add two new reactors to its Turkey Point plant……

Utilities historically were not allowed to pass on power plant construction costs until those facilities went into service, but the Legislature made an exception for nuclear facilities in 2006 to encourage the development of that form of energy.

Consumer advocates and nuclear opponents argue that consumers may wind up paying for facilities that never get built. http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-09-06/florida-regulators-holding-nuclear-costs-hearing

September 7, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, USA