U.S. Science Panel Sees Big Problems if Indian Point Reactors Are Closed

NY Times ^ | June 7, 2006 | MATTHEW L. WALD

[neverdem]

WASHINGTON, June 6 — Closing the Indian Point nuclear reactors would make electricity more expensive, leave New York more vulnerable to natural gas shortages and add to pollution that causes global warming, according to a report released on Tuesday by a committee of the National Academy of Sciences.

The committee said that there were no insurmountable technical obstacles to closing the plant. But it asserted that electric demand was growing so fast in the region, and building power plants was so difficult, that simply meeting power needs during peak periods would be a challenge even if the reactors stayed in operation.

Congress provided $1 million for the study, under a bill sponsored by Nita M. Lowey, a Westchester Democrat who says the reactors should be closed because of the risk of a release of radiation through accident or terrorist attack.

Despite the report's conclusion that closing Indian Point, which is about 35 miles north of Midtown Manhattan, would present major difficulties for the state, Ms. Lowey said in a phone interview that she was "thrilled" by its findings. "To me, the bottom line is, where there's a will there's a way" to close the plant, she said.

She pointed out that the National Academy group said the extra costs from closing Indian Point would be "modest," provided there is time to compensate, by building new plants or improving efficiency.

In fact, the report emphasized the political problems of meeting the state's energy demands, with or without the reactors.

"While the committee is optimistic that technical solutions do exist for the replacement of Indian Point, it is considerably less confident that the necessary political, regulatory, financial and institutional mechanisms are in place to facilitate the timely implementation of these replacement options," the report said.

[neverdem]

Nita M. Lowey, the epitome of a dingbat!

[JasonC]

And why does anybody want to close it in the first place? Or is that just thought to be an irrelevant detail, you know, anything remotely like a reason.

[Publius6961]

Well, if anyone has to go through the "freeze in the dark" consequences of terminal neuroses and ignorance I would rather it be here first, rather than closer to home.

So, go for it Ms Lowey, and may you get your just desserts. Drawing and quartering comes to mind... even if they let you do your thing due to disinterest.

[capt. norm]

Wouldn't it be cool if the very people who are funding the "global warming" grants and the associated publicity scare, were a group of investors wanting to build nuclear plants (which do not emit 'greenhouse gases').

That would be an excellent chess move.

[neverdem]

And why does anybody want to close it in the first place?

"Congress provided $1 million for the study, under a bill sponsored by Nita M. Lowey, a Westchester Democrat who says the reactors should be closed because of the risk of a release of radiation through accident or terrorist attack."

--snip--

"Some activists have tried for decades to close the plants, but the campaign drew more momentum after the attacks of Sept.11, 2001; American Airlines 11, the plane that hit the north tower of the World Trade Center, flew down the Hudson River, over Indian Point, on the way."

[Publius6961]

Well, the dingbat did give a reason, albeit an off the wall one.

... reactors should be closed because of the risk of a release of radiation through accident or terrorist attack.

Might as well say a meteor strike... a tsunami... flipping of the magnetic pole...
It is remarkable that the fears of one insane elected official can affect the safety, comfort and costs for millions of disinterested citizens.

[operation clinton cleanup]

Shut it down and charge a 500% NIMBY energy tax on users in her district.

[JasonC]

Just absurd. So we can have really high energy prices, pay the Iranians extra tribute to make their own bomb, which they can deliver without all the fuss.

[oceanview]

why? because westchester is full of millionaire liberal suburbanites, most think electricity just "comes out of the wall".

[P-40]

most think electricity just "comes out of the wall".

I think that statement would apply to a great many people.

And shouldn't that be Native American Point Reactor?

[Enchante]

Rep. Dingbat and her ilk should be required to live and work without electricity, period. Let her live in the dark at home, let her conduct her public business from a small tepee pitched on the Mall in DC...... airheads like her are so devoid of actual solutions. She would just snap her fingers and close 10% of NY's electrical output in favor of some unspecified solution at greater cost, more pollution, etc. Oh, and then she will scream about rates and "price gouging" if the utility companies expect to pass their new, higher costs along to consumers. Rep. Dingbat thinks the money for her whims grows on trees.

The two reactors make up only about 5.3 percent of the state's generating capacity but they produce 10.1 percent of its energy, the study said, because they are low-cost producers and are run around the clock nearly all year long. Closing them would push electricity rates up, but it did not say how much.

[gusopol3]

what if the groups funding the shut down of nuc power over past 4 decades were oil-industry?

[capt. norm]

LOL!

Let's get into a growth industry by manufacturing tinfoil hats.

We can bring in Ron Popeil (Ronco) to do our marketing on cable TV.

[capt. norm]

what if the groups funding the shut down of nuc power over past 4 decades were oil-industry?

All seriousness aside (as Steve Allen used to say), there is a lot of credibility in that line of thought.

Makes me want to "reverse engineer" a little history just to satisfy my curiousity. When there are that many dollars in play, unusual things can happen.

[DTwistedSisterS]

is that safe????... lol

[Herakles]

The only reason Democrats are anti nuclear is that they know if they can get the lights to go out no one will see them steal everything in the country that is not bolted down!