nuclear-news

President Obama’s Clean Power Plan does not support existing nuclear reactors

Final Clean Power Plan Drops Support For Existing Nuclear Plants, Forbes, Jeff McMahon, 3 Aug 15 vThe final version of President Obama’s Clean Power Plan does not include aid to existing nuclear power plants at risk of closing because they can’t compete with cheaper natural gas and renewables—a list that includes some of the nation’s most controversial reactors, including Indian Point and Three Mile Island.

In the draft version, EPA had proposed allowing states to count 6 percent of existing nuclear generation toward their clean energy goals, a provision designed to rescue the 6 percent of nuclear capacity considered at risk.

“On further consideration, we believe it is inappropriate to base the BSER (Best System of Emission Reduction) on elements that will not reduce CO2 emissions from affected electric generating units below current levels,” EPA states in the final rule.

“Existing nuclear generation helps make existing CO2 emissions lower than they would otherwise be, but will not further lower CO2 emissions below current levels. Accordingly… the EPA is not finalizing preservation of generation from existing nuclear capacity as a component of the BSER.”

Accordingly,  states will not be able to meet their clean energy goals by extending the licenses of existing nuclear plants…………

In 2013, Morningstar identified six nuclear plants that could be next to shut down because of economic conditions:

Exelon has also identified its Byron, Quad Cities, and Clinton plants in Illinois as at risk and has campaigned against tax credits for wind energy.

The nuclear industry had campaigned for stronger support for nuclear power in the Clean Power Plan…..http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2015/08/03/final-clean-power-plan-drops-support-for-existing-nuclear-plants/

August 5, 2015 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | climate change, politics, USA