FitzPatrick Closure: Big NY Democrats Furious Plant Is Closing

This is how a war between a governor and Entergy-FitzPatrick looks like. I think the Democrats want to poor mouth Entergy no matter what side of the issue they have to stand on. They hate Entergy so much. 

I get it, you are a Democrat governor you get a one year announcement on a nuclear plant closure(Fitz). If you are a Republican governor, you get a four years notice before it closes(Pilgrim). 

Is this a astute political move? These guys look like they are pro nuclear and pro employee? The residents of NY are going to be confused as hell, Shutdown Indian Point and safe Fitpatrick... 

Schumer 'furious' with Entergy over FitzPatrick nuclear plant closing

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer is "furious" with Entergy Corp. over its decision to close the James A. FitzPatrick nuclear power plant in Oswego County, and plans to appeal today to the company's chief executive to find a way to keep the plant operating. 

"Senator Schumer is furious with Entergy and is calling the CEO to express his frustration and do everything he can to prevent them from closing the plant," Schumer spokesman Jason Kaplan said this morning. 

Schumer views the plant closing as a setback for power reliability in Central New York, and wants to work with state and federal regulators to make sure the 850-megawatt plant stays online, Kaplan said. 

"It is devastating that Entergy plans to shut down FitzPatrick," Kaplan said. "Not only will this be awful for the local economy and to hundreds of loyal and effective workers, but it will also negatively impact power reliability in Central New York." 

He added, "Sen. Schumer will continue to engage with the company, federal and state regulators, and local officials to do everything possible to keep the plant open and preserve these important good-paying jobs." 

Schumer met privately in August with Bill Mohl, president of Entergy Wholesale Commodities, the Entergy subsidiary that owns the plant, but he has not made public any details of their conversation. 

Entergy Corp. called a meeting of FitzPatrick employees today to announce the planned shutdown in late 2016 or early 2017, leaving the plant's 615 employees without jobs.
The closing will take a large toll on Oswego County's economy with the loss of FitzPatrick's $74 million annual payroll and $17.3 million a year in property tax payments.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration negotiated privately with Entergy officials for at least two months in an apparent effort to reach a compromise that would keep FitzPatrick operating. 

Schumer was not involved in those negotiations, and made no public appearances with FitzPatrick plant supporters or Oswego County officials to discuss Entergy's pending decision prior to today's announcement. 

Schumer, who visits Central New York at least once a month for news conferences, did not discuss the FitzPatrick plant with local reporters until an unrelated appearance in Syracuse today regarding the outbreak of Legionnaire's disease at St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center. 

Separately, Central New York's two House members issued a joint statement today calling for Entergy and the state to resume negotiations aimed at averting a shutdown.
"Over the course of the past month, Entergy has been in talks with the state of New York about the future of FitzPatrick," said U.S. Reps. John Katko, R-Camillus and Richard Hanna, R-Barnveled. "We hope the company will detail these conversations and inform the community as to what efforts were made to prevent the closure of the plant." 

Katko and Hanna added: "We also urge the company and the state to continue their dialogue in the hopes of reversing the decision. Absent a solution, our hope is that the company and the state will do everything possible to mitigate the challenges faced by the community." 

Business analysts who follow Entergy have said the FitzPatrick plant is a money-loser for the company, particularly in light of the low wholesale power prices in the Central New York market.

Remember because of the high anti nuclear sentiment and being in a enormus population area...Cuomo is just following the political winds. He want Indian Point shutdown. 

Cuomo: Closing FitzPatrick nuclear plant shows 'callous disregard'

NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo today said state officials would try to block Entergy Corp.'s decision to close FitzPatrick nuclear plant.

SCRIBA, N.Y. -- Gov. Andrew Cuomo put out a statement just now on the closing of the FitzPatrick nuclear plant in Oswego County, saying the decision showed "callous disregard'' for the plant's employees.

Cuomo also said state officials will pursue "every legal and regulatory avenue'' to try to stop plant owner Energy Corp. from shutting the reactor.

"The closing of the James A. FitzPatrick Nuclear Power Plant will devastate the lives of the more than 600 employees and their families,'' Cuomo said. "Good corporate citizenship must appreciate that there are many factors that count as the 'bottom line.' The State of New York will pursue every legal and regulatory avenue in an attempt to stop Entergy's actions and its callous disregard for their skilled and loyal workforce." 

Members of Cuomo's administration engaged in confidential discussions with Entergy for at least two month, apparently seeking a compromise that would keep FitzPatrick open. Many observers suspect the talks centered around Entergy's profitable Indian Point nuclear plant in Westchester County. Cuomo has fought Entergy's application for a 20-year extension of Indian Point's operating license.
Neither side has revealed what the discussions entailed. Entergy officials today thanked state officials for negotiating, but said no agreement was reached that could keep the plant in operation.

"New York state officials worked as hard as we did over the past two months to reach a constructive and mutually beneficial agreement to avoid a shutdown of FitzPatrick, but our efforts were ultimately unsuccessful,'' Entergy CEO Leo Denault said during a conference call with stock analysts.