A consortium of environmental groups will continue its challenge to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's pending approval for an early site permit that would allow construction of two new reactors at Plant Vogtle.
Southern Alliance for Clean Energy contends that the commission overlooked key issues -- such as the impact of the huge volumes of water the new reactors would use -- in determining that there are no significant environmental impacts that would prevent an early site permit from being issued.
"Most people would suspect that spending more than $14 billion on a controversial energy project that will lock up the Savannah River's resources for decades and decades into the future would have some major environmental impacts," said Sara Barczak, the organization's program director.
The Early Site Permit is the first step by Georgia utilities toward obtaining federal approval for new nuclear reactors. Southern Co.'s nuclear division, Southern Nuclear Operating Co., filed for the permit with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in August 2006.
A final decision on the early site permit is not expected until 2009. The final Environmental Impact Statement just released by the NRC represents only one phase of the review process.
Reach Rob Pavey at (706) 868-1222, ext. 119, or rob.pavey@augustachronicle.com.
Comments
Nuclear power already provides >20% of the electricity production in the state of Georgia, and not for these and other media educated experts, it could be 60%. If these folks feel so strongly that nuclear reactors are a bad thing, let them decide which 20% of the time they will volunteer to do without electricity. They'll still have enough available to recharge their Blackberry and Ipod.
Well said, Whatsupwiththat, I'm tired of these special interest groups which are a minority of the population dictating to the rest of us,
"Southern Alliance for Clean Energy contends that the commission overlooked key issues -- such as the impact of the huge volumes of water the new reactors would use --..."
This hasn't been overlooked at all. This was considered when the commission originally approved the site for four (count them - 4) reactors. All the studies have been done. The research is on file with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. It seems to me that the newspaper would be familiar with this fact.
Southern Alliance for Clean Energy is just trying to scare people who are not familiar with the issues. If Southern Alliance is trying to suggest that the drought would seasonal affect power production, then that is a reasonable position because hydro power is also affected. But I don't think that is their position.
Why? Because they go for the Scary Quotes "hugh volumes" rather than a specific number or percentage. The actual percentage of total flow is quite low.
In addition, evaporative losses are considered to be final. In other words, it doesn't rain and the dew doesn't fall in Southern Alliance's world.
We need these new plants!
I remember years ago when I lived in Augusta. They decided to build Plant Vogl and told us it would help our electric bills. Yeah right
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