Reactor Reax Top Stories - Watchdog: Southern Nuke Plant Will Exceed Budget

The latest stories about nuclear power, safety and related issues.

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(WASHINGTON DC) - Nuclear power plants are located all over the world, and many are situated in areas that are potentially in the path of natural disasters.

This is something the world came to fully appreciate during the disaster in Fukushima, and it is not just about nuclear power, it is about safety, history, money and politics.

Delays mire nuclear plant construction, Chattanooga Times Free Press, June 4, 2012. "Five reactors are under construction, and all are reportedly over budget and behind schedule. What that ultimately means to electric rates remains unclear. TVA blames its own management oversight and planning. Instead of basing a plan and estimates on the twin reactor already running at Watts Bar, the utility used as a model the only other reactor work that had ever been deemed on time, close to budget and a success: Unit 1 at Browns Ferry. The trouble was that Browns Ferry and Watts Bar are completely different types of reactors with different work spaces and work needs."

Cost overruns of almost $1 billion — so far — at Ga. nuke reactors, (op-ed), Atlanta Journal-Constitution, June 6, 2012. Jay Bookman: "A lot is at stake in the Vogtle project. The new breed of reactors being built at the site — featuring advanced standardized design, streamlined licensing and new construction techniques — are supposed to keep costs steady and bring projects in close to budget and on schedule. That in turn is supposed to spur a new golden era for nuclear power."

Watchdog: Southern nuke plant will exceed budget, Bloomberg Businessweek, June 1, 2012. "Southern Co. faces cost pressures on several fronts, Jacobs said. The companies building the plant -- Westinghouse Electric Co. and The Shaw Group Inc. -- want Georgia Power to pay $400 million as its share of charges related to delays in getting federal approval for the reactor and plant. Southern Co. has not accepted any responsibility for those charges. The utility is also negotiating over change orders."

Exelon sees natural-gas threat to nuclear earnings, Chicago Tribune, June 7 2012. "Exelon told analysts Thursday that the government-subsidized plants were able to bid into the auction at extremely low prices because they did not include the subsidized costs in their bids. The plants cleared the auction, bringing down the price of payments Exelon receives for keeping its power plants online. The company said it is exploring an option that would change the rules for such plants and will consider requesting that PJM require such plants to include subsidies in their bids."

Climate Change Will Turn Off the Lights: New Study Finds Nuclear and Coal at Risk, Clean Thechnica, June 5, 2012. "Preparations must be made prior to increasingly severe weather. We will have to shift to power generation that does not need water, like solar photovoltaics and wind power. Or, at some cost, we must adapt present thermal power plants to limit water use and make them work acceptably in the midst of higher temperature disruptions. A government that does nothing for four years, waiting for the next election cycle, is not an option."

"Reactor Reax" is featured on www.NuclearBailout.org, a Web site maintained by Physicians for Social Responsibility.