The Left's Solution to the Energy Crisis

[AFTiger 282]

3 groups ask NRC to reject reactors

Wednesday, June 11, 2008 From staff reports Huntsville Times

TVA plans to buildtwo at Bellefontenuclear facility

SCOTTSBORO - Three environmental groups are asking the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to reject TVA's plans to build two nuclear reactors at its Bellefonte nuclear site near Scottsboro.

The 176-page petition, filed with the NRC on Friday, also questions the agency's competency, said Louis Zeller, a spokesman for the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League.

"The public's perception is that the agency lacks true independence, that the NRC staffs' review of license applications and other nuclear industry documents is incomplete and perfunctory, and that the procedural process lacks the essential element of justice and impartiality," Zeller said in a prepared statement Tuesday.

NRC spokesman Scott Brunell said the agency's staff has just begun reviewing the petition.

"In due time we will have a response," he said.

TVA spokesman Gil Francis said Tuesday the agency has not made a decision to build more nuclear plants, although it has applied for a license to build and operate a nuclear plant at Bellefonte.

TVA is also looking at coal-fired plants and alternative forms of energy such as wind and solar power, he said.

"Everything runs on electrical energy," Francis said. "That's why we've been taking a multiprong approach."

According to the petition, hot-water discharges from the reactors would threaten Tennessee River fish and wildlife. The Tennessee Valley Authority's Browns Ferry and Sequoyah nuclear plants also draw cooling water from the river.

Last August, TVA was forced to shut down a reactor at Browns Ferry in Athens because the water in the Tennessee River exceeded TVA's 90-degree water temperature permit.

"We are incredibly concerned about the impacts two more nuclear reactors could have on the Tennessee River, which is already stressed," said Sara Barczak of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.

The petition also says that radioactive air and water pollution from routine plant operations pose health concerns; that a large number of sinkholes and caves near Bellefonte indicates unstable terrain; that nuclear waste disposal problems remain unsolved; and that the plant could become a terrorist target.

TVA would be better off using the billions of dollars planned for Bellefonte to improve energy efficiency and renewable alternatives, said Louise Gorenflo of the Bellefonte Efficiency and Sustainability Team.

TVA has estimated the cost of each reactor at $3.5 billion to $4.5 billion.

Link

[Tigermike 3,055]

How 'bout that and Obama says he wants higher gas prices.

The clueless leading the unknowing wanting change.

[AUTiger1 0]

Shame, they have already spent a billion in building the plant. Would bring a lot of jobs to an area that needs it much.

Edit: I stand corrected, come to find out they have over 6 billion invested already.

[AUTiger1 0]

3 groups ask NRC to reject reactors

Wednesday, June 11, 2008 From staff reports Huntsville Times

TVA plans to buildtwo at Bellefontenuclear facility

SCOTTSBORO - Three environmental groups are asking the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to reject TVA's plans to build two nuclear reactors at its Bellefonte nuclear site near Scottsboro.

The 176-page petition, filed with the NRC on Friday, also questions the agency's competency, said Louis Zeller, a spokesman for the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League.

"The public's perception is that the agency lacks true independence, that the NRC staffs' review of license applications and other nuclear industry documents is incomplete and perfunctory, and that the procedural process lacks the essential element of justice and impartiality," Zeller said in a prepared statement Tuesday.

NRC spokesman Scott Brunell said the agency's staff has just begun reviewing the petition.

"In due time we will have a response," he said.

TVA spokesman Gil Francis said Tuesday the agency has not made a decision to build more nuclear plants, although it has applied for a license to build and operate a nuclear plant at Bellefonte.

TVA is also looking at coal-fired plants and alternative forms of energy such as wind and solar power, he said.

"Everything runs on electrical energy," Francis said. "That's why we've been taking a multiprong approach."

According to the petition, hot-water discharges from the reactors would threaten Tennessee River fish and wildlife. The Tennessee Valley Authority's Browns Ferry and Sequoyah nuclear plants also draw cooling water from the river.

Last August, TVA was forced to shut down a reactor at Browns Ferry in Athens because the water in the Tennessee River exceeded TVA's 90-degree water temperature permit.

"We are incredibly concerned about the impacts two more nuclear reactors could have on the Tennessee River, which is already stressed," said Sara Barczak of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.

The petition also says that radioactive air and water pollution from routine plant operations pose health concerns; that a large number of sinkholes and caves near Bellefonte indicates unstable terrain; that nuclear waste disposal problems remain unsolved; and that the plant could become a terrorist target.

TVA would be better off using the billions of dollars planned for Bellefonte to improve energy efficiency and renewable alternatives, said Louise Gorenflo of the Bellefonte Efficiency and Sustainability Team.

TVA has estimated the cost of each reactor at $3.5 billion to $4.5 billion.

Link

I was going to let this go, but last night I was talking to my dad (30yrs as a Nuclear Operator with TVA) and we were talking about this. What most people don't realize is that the temp was over 100 for several days straight last August so the water temp in the area of the intake/output was going to be a little high anyways. Never once did Watts Bar, or Sequoya ever have to shut down for this reason and it gets hot in TN too. Browns Ferry is a older, not by much but construction began earlier on it than the other two and the cooling towers for the others are a lot different than they are at Browns Ferry. The cooling towers at "The Ferry" are not as efficient and are not designed as well. The cooling towers at Bellefounte are designed as they are at Watts Bar and Sequoya. I just wanted to point that out since the line in the article seems to be more than a little misleading in my opinion. If any of you live around these plants, I don't know if they do or not, but it would be a neat thing to tour the plant. My dad took me one time and walked me around and then explained to me an overview of how the plant worked. Very interesting stuff.