Will Nuclear Power come to Oklahoma? (Oklahoma City, Tulsa: 2009, house, construction)

[diggyba]

Will Nuclear Power Come to Oklahoma?
Posted: Jan 26, 2009 08:09 AM
Updated: Jan 26, 2009 08:24 AM
State legislators are openly discussing the potential use of nuclear power in Oklahoma. (File Photo)

[SIZE=2] Associated Press
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma, long a producer of fossil fuels, traditionally has relied mostly on natural gas and coal -- and in recent years wind -- to produce power. But more than a quarter-century after the failed Black Fox project near Inola, state legislators including House Speaker Chris Benge are openly discussing the potential use of nuclear power in Oklahoma.
This time, nuclear-energy proponents think their ideas will gain some traction as Oklahomans recall last summer's soaring energy prices, which has led to more of a focus on alternative energy sources.
"It's the year to have an energy discussion," said Benge, R-Tulsa, and among the dozens of energy-related bills filed before the upcoming session were at least four directly related to nuclear energy.
Oklahoma's Nuclear Past

• Perhaps the most famous incident came in November 1974, when Karen Silkwood, an employee at Kerr-McGee Corp.'s plutonium processing plant near Crescent, died in a mysterious car crash as she was on her way to meet with a New York Times reporter to discuss what Silkwood said was lax security at the plant.
  Silkwood's father, Bill, filed a $71 million lawsuit against the company in 1976. After years in the courts -- including two trips to the U.S. Supreme Court -- Kerr-McGee settled with the Silkwood family for $1.3 million. The case was made famous by a 1983 film starring Meryl Streep.
• In 1973, PSO announced plans to build the Black Fox nuclear power plant near Inola, but the company abandoned the project after a nine-year battle with opponents.
• A uranium conversion facility near Gore, operated by Sequoyah Fuels, opened in 1970 but closed in 1993 after numerous environmental violations, including a 1986 case of air contamination that resulted in an employee's death. Cleanup efforts on contaminated remains at the site that sits along the Arkansas River remain ongoing.

The time to begin discussing nuclear energy "was right three or four years ago," said state Rep. Mike Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City. "But when the price of oil last year gave our country a wakeup call, the time became more right."
Reynolds filed a bill that would establish a procedure for companies wanting to apply to build nuclear power plants. Sen. Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa, has introduced a similar measure in that legislative chamber. Benge and Rep. Scott Martin, R-Norman, have introduced so-called "shell" bills regarding nuclear energy that Benge said will allow lawmakers to decide "what direction we do want to go if we do pursue legislation."
Oklahoma is one of 19 states that does not have a nuclear power plant. Four states that border Oklahoma do have operational nuclear plants -- Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri and Texas. Benge visited the Arkansas plant earlier this year on a fact-finding mission.
Proponents acknowledge that a nuclear plant could take as long as a decade to build and could cost anywhere from $5 billion to $8 billion.
"They have very high entry-level costs," Benge said. "But once you get by the initial capital costs, the operating costs are very low because they generate a tremendous amount of energy, and have no emissions, too."
Spokesmen for Oklahoma's two largest utilities, Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co. and Public Service Company of Oklahoma, agree it's a good time to examine nuclear's possibilities in the state. The companies want to participate with lawmakers and state officials in any discussions about the issue but are officially remaining noncommittal.
"We're not pushing, but we're cooperating," said PSO spokesman Stan Whiteford, who said the company has "no plans at this time to propose or build a nuclear plant in Oklahoma."
OG&E spokesman Brian Alford said the construction of a nuclear plant would have to involve multiple stakeholders.
"This is a project that no one utility in Oklahoma can undertake on its own," Alford said. "The regulatory and financial hurdles are well beyond the capabilities of any one utility."

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[TU 'cane]

Let's do it.

[FutureArchitect]

I think that if they found a "Safer" way to harness Nuclear power then it would be great.

[Synopsis]

Nuclear power is very safe unless you are in Russia or another such place.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by Synopsis

Nuclear power is very safe unless you are in Russia or another such place.

Unfortunately, nuclear power is very expensive, and needs lots of government subsidies. Also, the long-term disposal issue is always a big concern.