nuclear-news

Staff Writer, June 2, 2016 ATLANTA — One of the strongest supporters for nuclear power on the Public Service Commission announced Thursday intentions to delay studies for a new reactor for three years.

Commissioner Lauren “Bubba” McDonald said he intends to introduce a motion when the five-man commission votes on Georgia Power’s long-range facilities plan that would deny the company’s request to study a new plant……

The company can spend its own money however it wishes, but its request is to have its customers pay $175 million to test the feasibility of building reactors at a site it owns in Steward County, along the Chattahoochee River below Columbus. McDonald said it was premature for the commission to make customers pay for the study.

Jacob Hawkins said the company will suspend preliminary work on the site if McDonald’s motion passes.

“A delay of even a few years in these actions will jeopardize our ability to keep new nuclear as a timely option for customers,” he said…..

McDonald’s motion comes as the commission is set to hear testimony next week on construction of the nation’s first two commercial nuclear reactors in 30 years at Plant Vogtle, where Georgia Power is the majority owner. It is three years behind schedule and around $1 billion over budget, and the commission staff is investigating whether to recommend having electricity customers pay the tab for the overage.

Last week, SCANA asked the South Carolina counterpart to the commission to charge their customers for $852 million in overages for two reactors it is building at Plant Summer…….http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/metro/2016-06-02/plans-more-nuclear-generation-hit-obstacle?v=1464916692#comment-form