Lindsey Graham: As Bold As The French

We were in the mood for cheese, so of course had to look in on Wisconsin, where the mood is cheddery smooth:

A proposal that would relax Wisconsin's ban on nuclear reactors and mandate increasing use of renewable energy began its journey through the Legislature on Thursday, with Gov. Jim Doyle asserting that it could create more than 15,000 jobs.

Apparently, the legislation to do this has a problem which need not be one:

The bill would require that any nuclear reactor built in the state be designed to serve the needs of Wisconsin electricity customers only. That could violate the federal Interstate Commerce Clause of the Constitution, said Rep. Phil Montgomery (R-Ashwaubenon).

We're not sure that Rep. Montgomery is right here but wonder why such a provision is even included. In any event, we should note that no electricity producer can be "designed" to do this - it's a matter of transmission, not generation and since Wisconsin, like every state, is part of a multi-state grid, we're not even sure it's really practical. But that's what the bill's sponsors want.

The bill includes language that would nullify all of the nuclear power changes if a court finds the "Wisconsin only" provision unconstitutional.

All in all, very odd - we're noting some curdy clumps in our queso. This bill has just been proposed - let's see where it goes and what arguments emerge.

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Steve Milloy of JunkScience.com contributes an op-ed to The Washington Times that supports nuclear energy, but is really more an attack on cap-and-trade as a mechanism for controlling carbon emissions. We have no real brief on cap-and-trade vs. a carbon tax vs., well, any other or no mechanism. The world, including the energy sector, will move as it needs to, and how the government decides to apply a push will be subject to review based on its efficacy or lack thereof.

We were more interested in Milloy's rhetoric:

Little discussed is how cap-and-trade is an insidious form of anti-American social engineering.

Cap-and-trade threatens our military preparedness and our national sovereignty.

Seemingly oblivious to how cap-and-trade would force European socialism on America ...

When Neville Chamberlain came back to Britain after negotiating the Munich Agreement with Adolf Hitler ...

Next time he comes out against (or for) something, Milloy should really consider pulling out the big guns.

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Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) sees the value of nuclear energy:

Graham wants to see measures in the bill that make it easier for the nuclear power industry to expand in the United States, and he pointed to South Carolina’s considerable assets in the sector. France gets the majority of its power from nuclear, Graham noted.

“Surely we can be as bold as the French,” he said.

Surely. Graham's participation probably isn't necessary as far as nuclear energy is concerned - many Democrats have turned the corner on that issue - but he adds a valuable voice that may give the legislation a chance at a true bi-partisan profile.

He also said any energy and climate bill he would support must have approval for more domestic drilling rights for oil and natural gas. That would be politically palatable in the Senate, Graham said, and could provide a new revenue stream for states that might have considerable offshore deposits, such as South Carolina.

The bill also should have measures to protect from utility price spikes and could be curtailed if emerging economic powers such as China and India do not strive to curb emissions, he said.

We always respond positively to a broad energy outlook and Graham has one.

Sen. Lindsey Graham.

Activists' Claims Distort Facts about Advanced Reactor Design

Below is from our rapid response team . Yesterday, regional anti-nuclear organizations asked federal nuclear energy regulators to launch an investigation into what it claims are “newly identified flaws” in Westinghouse’s advanced reactor design, the AP1000. During a teleconference releasing a report on the subject, participants urged the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to suspend license reviews of proposed AP1000 reactors. In its news release, even the groups making these allegations provide conflicting information on its findings. In one instance, the groups cite “dozens of corrosion holes” at reactor vessels and in another says that eight holes have been documented. In all cases, there is another containment mechanism that would provide a barrier to radiation release. Below, we examine why these claims are unwarranted and why the AP1000 design certification process should continue as designated by the NRC. Myth: In the AP1000 reactor design, the gap between the shield bu...

What Happens During a Refueling Outage?

You may have noticed over the past few weeks that a number of nuclear plants are shut down for refueling outages or are resuming operations after just returning from one. This type of routine outage usually occurs in the spring or fall when electricity demand is low so that nuclear reactors can replace about one-third of the spent fuel rods with new fuel and conduct other routine maintenance and repairs at the plant. To get a better sense of how refueling works at a nuclear energy facility, I spoke with Marcus Nichol, NEI’s senior project manager for used fuel storage and transportation, and asked him to explain the basics. Why does a nuclear plant need to replace one-third of its fuel? Nichol: The main purpose of a refueling outage is to replace older fuel that is depleted—meaning it can no longer efficiently produce energy from nuclear fission reactions—with new fuel. This “used fuel” has typically been used in the reactor for four-and-a-half to six years before it is pe...

How Much Land Does Nuclear, Wind and Solar Really Need?

Not too long ago, we reviewed a report that looked at nuclear energy (and other energy sources) as biodiversity agents. This had to do, in part, with the amount of land a facility needs to function. Nuclear energy and fossil fuel plants use relatively little, wind farms and solar arrays quite a lot of land . Based on an objective and transparent analysis of our sustainable energy choices, we have come to the evidence-based conclusion that nuclear energy is a good option for biodiversity conservation (and society in general) and that other alternatives to fossil fuels should be subjected to the same cost–benefit analyses (in terms of biodiversity and climate outcomes, as well as sociopolitical imperatives) before accepting or dismissing them. Writer Barry Brook, who collected 75 scientists to endorse his paper, is interested in land use as it impacts flora and fauna. Biodiversity concerns do not get as much play as they might – and, when they do, it annoys many when land is withdraw...

NEI Nuclear Notes

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