Say collectively we are talking about a hundred million dollars for the ten plants. Basically we are putting these plants on heavy duty welfare on steroids. Basically the state legislators are putting them under part time welfare. So why isn't the legislators advocating for extra requirements from the corporations. Like a large proportion of the 100 million dollars will must go into increased maintenence, upgrades and training. Will a large proportion, like 99%, instead go into executive bonuses and increase in stock price? Pennies for maintenence?
1) I would required a large proportion of the increased funding going into maintenence and upgrades. Remember as these plant's ages increase they increasingly are getting disconnected from their repair parts stream. They will have to reverse engineer and contract to manufacture at Chinese plants an increasing percentage of their repair parts. This is exponentially more expensive. I think the dark secret is the utilities really want to put on the most expensive power sources as they get a bigger chunk of money from them.
2) Require more transparency...require a skeptical and knowledgeable safety advocate to oversee the plant and NRC for the rest of their lives.
Apr 24, 2016CLINTON — As the financial losses mount from Exelon's operation of the Clinton Power Station, the message from company officials that the plant may close next year without legislative intervention has taken on a renewed and pressing urgency.
The single-unit power plant situated on about 14,000 acres six miles east of Clinton has transformed from a big money producer for Exelon's fleet of 11 reactors at six Illinois sites to posting $360 million in losses over the past six years. That shift has put the 29-year-old plant in danger of early retirement — the plant's current reactor operating license will expire Sept. 29, 2026.
At least five plants involved with Exelon and five with Entergy.
In 2014, Exelon informed state lawmakers — and the public — that Clinton and the Braidwood and Byron plants in northern Illinois could be targeted for shutdowns if changes were not made to state law to help the utility more effectively compete with its counterparts in the energy industry.
So far, the Legislature has failed to act.
Without help from Springfield, contends Exelon, it's questionable the plant that employs about 700 workers and pumps $63 million in payroll dollars into the area annually will remain open.
"It's definitely something that could happen. Exelon is going to make a decision this year, by fall at the latest," said Exelon spokesman Brett Nauman…
By The Associated Press
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on April 23, 2016 at 12:45 PM, updated April 23, 2016 at 1:10 PMFitzPatrick nuclear plant
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York's four nuclear plants, which generate more than a quarter of the state's electricity, are going through turbulent times amid slumping power prices. And depending on how things play out, one or more could shut down entirely, affecting jobs, power reliability, electricity bills and carbon emissions.Though opposed by many environmentalists, New York's nuclear plants are seen by state regulators as a steady source of electricity that doesn't contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration is crafting a plan that would direct millions of dollars a year extra to keep ailing upstate nuclear plants operating. Officials say the cost to individual customers would be small and would be outweighed by environmental and economic benefits.As regulators work on a broad plan to help the nuclear industry, individual plants are being buffeted by financial and, in one case, political pressures. Here's a look at the issues at the plants and possible consequences:
FITZPATRICKOperators of the FitzPatrick plant on Lake Ontario north of Syracuse announced plans to shut down on Jan. 27, 2017. Entergy Corp. blames low natural gas prices, high operational costs and a "flawed" market the company says doesn't adequately compensate nuclear generators. The plant, which began generating electricity in 1975, employs more than 600 people and produces 838 megawatts of electricity, enough to power more than 800,000 homes.The Cuomo administration is crafting an expedited financial support plan that could potentially help FitzPatrick.Entergy spokeswoman Tammy Holden wrote in an email this week that they "are moving forward with the safe and orderly shutdown of FitzPatrick."INDIAN POINTEntergy's Indian Point on the Hudson River north of New York City has been in the crosshairs of environmentalists and politicians such as Cuomo. A top concern is how to evacuate the more than 17 million people living within 50 miles of the two reactors if there's an emergency. Federal regulators are allowing the reactors, which began producing electricity in the mid-'70s, to operate as the company seeks license renewals.Entergy's two New York plants illustrate an unusual cross-current in the state's nuclear policy: the company wants to keep Indian Point running and plans to close FitzPatrick; Cuomo wants FitzPatrick open and has called for the closure of Indian Point.GINNA, NINE MILE POINTThe Ginna plant along Lake Ontario near Rochester is operating under a surcharge that costs the average residential customer a little more than $2 a month extra. Operator Exelon had considered retiring the plant, which began producing electricity in 1970, before the surcharge was imposed. Exelon also operates the two reactors at the Nine Mile Point plant. The surcharge could expire in March 2017…
