May 21, 2008
The need for the Progress Energy nuclear plants in Levy County.
On the need for the Progress Energy
nuclear plants in Levy County, I spoke at the meeting on April 23rd.,
at the Plantation Inn in Crystal River and followed that with a more
detailed written submission to the PSC. I am writing now as Director
of the Amy H Remley Foundation and Director of the Kings Bay Association.
The transcript of the April meeting confirms that the majority of
those who spoke were against the proposal.
My own research of peer reviewed world scientific literature over
a period of five years leads me to conclude that nuclear powered electricity
generation cannot rescue the nation from the effects of climate change,
neither as a practicable proposition, nor in time. The same is true
for the rest of the world.
Environmentally, to proceed as planned without a thorough impact analysis,
in the interest only of the profitability of such a utility corporation
can only be described as a wanton destruction of natural resources.
Effects upon the scarce aquifer resource used for cooling and effluent
dilution, sea grass meadows from heated effluent discharges, protected
species habitat, and breed grounds of our marine food web, and consequent
economic losses are some examples of adverse potential impacts.
The cost benefit figures offered predicate unsustainable growth, where
clean water is the scarce resource not electricity. Moreover, subsidies
would seem to underpin the apparent cost justification.
Destruction of environmental resources by clear cutting for passage
of transmission lines is to be deplored, when electricity conservation
and modular (localized solar) generation could and should be harnessed.
(This would not be advanced by the corporation as it would undermine
their monopoly position and projected bottom line). Longer term costs
and spent fuel penalties do not appear to be considered.
From a local perspective, the urgent need is to replace the polluting
coal fired plants at the Crystal River site.
I respectfully ask the commission to reject the Progress Energy proposal
for Levy county so that a thorough independent analysis can assess
the true need and the best way to deal with the broader issues involved.
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