CPS halts talks on buying nuclear power

[sonias]

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/energy/article/CPS-halts-talks-on-buying-nuclear-power-1128743.php">San Antonio Express News 3/15/11
CPS halts talks on buying nuclear power

The ongoing nuclear crisis in Japan may signal the death knell for the long-planned addition of two nuclear reactors at the South Texas Project.

CPS Energy CEO Doyle Beneby announced Monday that the utility and NRG Energy, the majority partner in the expansion, have mutually agreed to suspend talks over CPS possibly buying power from the two proposed reactors, which were scheduled to be licensed and begin construction in 2012.

Tokyo Electric Power Co., which owns the crippled Fukushima Daiichi plant in Japan, was expected to invest in the STP expansion if the project was awarded a federal loan guarantee.

In addition, NRG has said it would also rely on loan guarantees from the Japanese government to build the new reactors.

It now seems unlikely that either entity will be in a position to invest in the U.S. nuclear industry anytime soon.

I'm totally heartbroken about the destruction in Japan. The loss of human life is absolutely horrible. And on top of all the damage the earthquake and tsunami created it's is unfathomable the Japanese people still have to deal with nuclear fallout. :cry:

[sonias]

1. South Texas Project deal dubious in wake of quake

AAS 3/14/11

South Texas Project deal dubious in wake of quake

The repercussions from an earthquake that has rocked nuclear facilities in Japan threaten to shake up the financial grounding of a proposed power plant expansion in Texas.

A Japanese company that owns the distressed Fukushima Daiichi power plant had figured to own as much as 20 percent of two proposed reactors at the South Texas Project . But with the company, Tokyo Electric Power Co. , reeling from reports of radiation leaks, financial analysts on Monday called the deal uncertain.

Some of the South Texas Project electricity is shipped to Austin, which is a part-owner of the two current reactors. The city is considering whether to buy more power from the two proposed reactors.

I certainly do no support the City of Austin considering buying additional power from STP.

This country needs to start modernization efforts of a smart electrical grid so we can start wasting power and slow the need to expansion of more power plants.

Department of Energy Smart Grid
(snip)
Grid 2030 vision calls for the construction of a 21st century electric system that connects everyone to abundant, affordable, clean, efficient, and reliable electric power anytime, anywhere. We can achieve this through a smart grid, which would integrate advanced functions into the nation's electric grid to enhance reliability, efficiency, and security, and would also contribute to the climate change strategic goal of reducing carbon emissions. These advancements will be achieved by modernizing the electric grid with information-age technologies, such as microprocessors, communications, advanced computing, and information technologies.

[plumbob]

2. If this is the only good thing to come out of this disaster, then it will

be at least good for that much.

We don't need nuclear power. It's dangerous, dirty, and no way to guarantee that the everliving waste it generates can be contained for long enough.

It's a really stupid and expensive way to boil water.

More so when you watch these beautiful wind generators five minutes from my house, just turning and making electricity like crazy in the breeze. No fuel, no emissions of any kind. Proven technology which provided Texas with 25% of all its power last October and November.

And did not freeze up and fail, like some other filthy petro-burners I could mention.

[sonias]

3. "stupid and expensive way to boil water"

That is exactly right! The most expensive way to boil water and generate electricity from steam.
:applause:

It's time to put the break on this stupid kind of energy production. I don't care that it's sold as non-carbon emitting and the Obama administration supports it. When these things fail - they fail on a huge, massive centuries to recover scale. Humans, and whole eco-systems are impacted for decades. Chernobyl is still hot. There is still an estimated 180 tons of radioactive material trapped inside Chernobyl.

Not to mention the the ridiculous expense of storing the nuclear waste for thousands of years. :crazy:


I also loved the way that the wind generators were able to get through the blackout freeze days without a hitch - while the dirty coal plants failed miserably. You hardly heard the media mention it at all. :(

Oh and lets name one of those filthy petro-burner failures - Luminant tops the bunch!

NBC-DWF 2/16/11

Testimony: Generator Failures Lead to Blackouts

(snip)
David Campbell, the CEO of Luminant, said 11 of the 82 generation units that failed on Feb. 2 belonged to his company. He said the newest plants had the most failures because they don't have the benefit of experience. He said his company now knows where the plants are vulnerable.

[Jack_DeLeon]

4. That is a shame...

Nuclear power and wind/solar are a better power generation scheme than burning coal and oil.

[BrightKnight]

5. In the end we will get more dirty coal. - n/t