nuclear-news

Three Mile Island – another example of the dim future for nuclear power

‘The future is dim’: Three Mile Island fails to sell future energy production, again, Penn Live,   By Christian Alexandersen | calexandersen@pennlive.com  “…….Eric Epstein, chairman of Three Mile Island Alert, said the marketplace has decided there are better energy options than nuclear power. Major investments have been made in solar and wind power, but not in nuclear.

Nuclear power, Epstein said, is just not economically competitive.

“There’s no private equity chasing nuclear power,” Epstein said. “When it comes to new construction, nuclear power plants are always over budget and behind schedule.”

DeSantis said Three Mile Island’s inability to sell its future energy production is significant. But, if it can’t sell its energy in the future, it will have to sell it on the daily energy market.

That’s where the prices have been historically low. The bottom barrel prices are due to the abundance of natural gas and flat demand for electricity.

“If you’re not getting capacity payments, then you’re only relying on the one revenue stream,” DeSantis said. “And prices are really low now.”

Epstein said he doesn’t believe Three Mile Island is in any immediate threat of closing down. However, nuclear power will be phased out by better energy alternatives over time, Epstein said.

Nuclear energy — like coal — will become a bridge fuel.

“I don’t know what the future holds, but the future is dim,” he said.http://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/06/the_future_is_dim_three_mile_i.html

June 3, 2016 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, USA