Spitzer on Indian Point

New York’s Attorney General Eliot Spitzer provided remarks on Environmental Stewardship last Wednesday, March 29th. Here’s what he had to say about the Indian Point nuclear plant:

I CANNOT ADDRESS ENERGY WITHOUT DESCRIBING ANOTHER ENVIRONMENTAL IMPERATIVE - THE NEED TO CLOSE THE INDIAN POINT NUCLEAR POWER PLANT.

OF COURSE THIS CAN ONLY HAPPEN WHEN WE ARE CERTAIN THAT THERE IS ADEQUATE REPLACEMENT POWER - - SINCE WE CANNOT SIMPLY TAKE 2,000 MEGAWATTS OUT OF THE GRID. THAT IT IS WHY IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR US TO RENEW THE ARTICLE TEN SITING LAW THAT EXPEDITES ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW OF POWER PLANT PROPOSALS WHILE ALSO DRAMATICALLY IMPROVING OUR ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION PERFORMANCE.

THE 40-YEAR LICENSES FOR THE TWO NUCLEAR REACTORS AT INDIAN POINT EXPIRE IN 2013 AND 2015. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION NOT RENEW THESE LICENSES, AND I WILL WORK TO ENSURE THEY DO NOT.

This of course sounds good talking in front of environmentalists. However, when looking at his plans, it appears he wants to have his cake and eat it too.

Waiting for replacement power might take a long time. Data from the North American Electric Reliability Council indicate that by 2010, reserve margins (backup capacity) in the New York sub region are projected to drop to 17 percent. In 2012, they are projected to fall to 15 percent. Required reserve margins are assumed to be 18 percent in the Northeast. This is with Indian Point still operating. Take Indian Point off the grid and reserves are at 9 percent in 2012.

THERE WAS A RECENT REPORT THAT DESCRIBED NEW YORK AS HAVING THE DIRTIEST AIR IN THE NATION. MOST COUNTIES DO NOT MEET BASIC AIR QUALITY HEALTH STANDARDS.

And this is with 30% of New York’s electricity coming from clean emission free nuclear power. Nuclear is the main source of power produced in the state. Gas provides 21%, coal 17%, hydro 17%, oil 14% and other fuels 2% (pdf).

Annually, the six nuclear reactors in New York avoid about 33 million tons of CO2. This is the same amount of CO2 released by more than 6 million cars. The Indian Point reactors avoid about 13 million tons of CO2 annually, which is equal to the emissions of 2.6 million cars. There are 8.5 million cars in New York (pdf).

Here are some of Spitzer’s plans:

*IMPROVING ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND ENERGY CONSERVATION

* RE-POWERING EXISTING COAL AND OIL POWER PLANTS TO RUN ON CLEANER BURNING FUELS;

* BUILDING A NEW GENERATION OF CLEANER POWER PLANTS;

* UPGRADING THE STATE’S TRANSMISSION SYSTEM; AND

* PRIORITIZING INVESTMENT IN PROMOTING CLEAN RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES, SUCH AS SOLAR POWER, WIND POWER, HYDRO AND FUEL CELLS SO THAT WE CAN MEET OUR STATE’S ENERGY NEEDS BY SIGNIFICANTLY EXPANDING RENEWABLES.

Sounds like good plans and worthwhile goals.

If you are going to replace power from Indian Point there are three options to provide baseload electricity: coal, gas and oil. Renewables do not provide the base load power that Indian Point does. And it doesn’t appear New York is willing to give up space for renewables either:

NEW YORK IS ALREADY A LEADER WHEN IT COMES TO OPEN SPACE PROTECTION, AND GOVERNOR PATAKI DESERVES OUR THANKS FOR THAT. HE SET OUT TO EMULATE TEDDY ROOSEVELT, AND HIS ACCOMPLISHMENT IN PROTECTING NEARLY ONE MILLION ACRES OF OPEN SPACE IS TO BE APPLAUDED.

Building cleaner coal and oil power plants and burning cleaner fuels like Spitzer suggested will help the environment; however, some greenhouse gases will continue to be emitted.

Why not use a fuel source that doesn’t emit GHGs in the first place? You know, say a nuclear power plant like Indian Point?

Read this report to find out what would happen if Indian Point were closed down. Economic Benefits of Indian Point Energy Center (pdf):

The Indian Point Energy Center in Buchanan, N.Y., is an integral part of the local economy. The plant provides jobs and makes purchases that stimulate the local economy directly and indirectly. Among the tangible benefits that the plant provides to the area are jobs, taxes, economic output and labor income, together with contributions to the local community. And there are other intangible benefits to the region, such as clean air and low, stable electricity prices. Indian Point’s economic impact reaches beyond the local community to the state and even the national level.

We're all in favor of clean air, clean water and a better environment. But in order to make it happen politicians and policymakers are going to have to be more honest about the costs involved, and what renewable sources of energy can and can't do. Wishing it will never make it so.

Technorati tags: Nuclear Energy, Nuclear Power, Electricity, Environment, Energy