In this case, a 1,500 MWe reactor near Bruneau. For the press release announcing the letter of intent, click here. For more on the company behind the proposal, click here.
UPDATE: The news has been picked up in Idaho by Red State Rebels, a progressive politics blog. As I've noted before, there's a surprising amount of support for new nuclear. Stop by and join the debate.
Technorati tags: Nuclear Energy, Nuclear Power, Environment. Energy, Politics Technology, Economics, Idaho
UPDATE: The news has been picked up in Idaho by Red State Rebels, a progressive politics blog. As I've noted before, there's a surprising amount of support for new nuclear. Stop by and join the debate.
Technorati tags: Nuclear Energy, Nuclear Power, Environment. Energy, Politics Technology, Economics, Idaho
Comments
http://redstaterebels.typepad.com/red_state_rebels/2006/12/nuke_plant_near.html
Particularly as you'd be crazy to build any new fossil fuel plant without planning for a future installation of carbon capture and storage technologies, which will reduce the net output and thus markedly increase the water usage per unit output.
I do also wonder about the likelihood of a new company being able to gain financing and regulatory approval to operate a reactor so quickly. However, the fact that startup companies are forming to seek opportunities in the sector should say something about the prospects for the future.
The list includes people who have held senior positions at the NRC, INPO, and NEI. It looks like there is at least one former plant manager and a past president of two utility nuclear business units.
I am impressed and hopeful that these people have seen an opportunity to excel for themselves and their investors.
I am also intrigued by their R&D page comment about "Urban Mini-Reactors". Whoever heard of the idea of a nuclear power plant that is minimal in size, needs little cooling water, and is inherently safe. (Tongue planted firmly in cheek since I have been working on and writing about just such a system for at least a dozen years.)
I wouldn't be too optimistic.
Are you implying that there is a problem with Amarillo Power's plans?
It seems to me that they have simply put their head down and are working hard to overcome any barriers for their success. The lack of vocal news should not be construed as lack of progress.
I personally have no inside information, but have enough experience with people that know how to get things done to realize that they often do a whole lot of work without anyone hearing much about it.
Do you seriously think that a company like Amarillo Power (or AEHI, for that matter) is going to build a nuclear power plant in the current political climate? Personally, I don't think they have enough experience to know what the true costs are. They might start a project, get heavily in debt due to NRC dilly-dallying, and cancel it. But I'm more inclined to think they're good businesspeople and won't even try once they start seeing $5-6 billion as the low end.
Don't get me wrong; I wish them the best, but I really don't think the business case is there.
As well, if a company gets in debt it won't be due to the NRC. By the time the reactor starts construction, all the paperwork and licensing will be done. And if the company builds what it is licensed to build, then the NRC has no reason to delay the reactor.
That wasn't a terribly successful time in the industry's history. Plus, the political climate is much different today.
>>As well, if a company gets in debt it won't be due to the NRC. By the time the reactor starts construction, all the paperwork and licensing will be done.
Will they be in debt by the time that happens (remember all the plants that were canceled in 1982-83 that were ordered in the mid-70s and still didn't have CPs)? And certainly, there must be some paperwork during construction. With 30-odd proposals coming in between 4Q 2007 and 2011, what would lead you to believe that there wouldn't be a late-70s-style logjam? If the economy tanks and/or the price of oil or natural gas comes back down, or something like fusion comes out of the blue, I would think that less-well-backed proposals such as this would be canceled first.