Huge Georgia Power nuclear plant cost overruns to get dumped on the consumer! (2013)

[atler8]

What else is new & as if nobody ever saw this coming? Just screw the consumer, as per normal.
FYI: And if you weren't aware of it, we in Georgia are one of the very few "lucky" places to be seeing new nuclear power plant construction.
Elsewhere in the nation, older nuclear power plants are being retired & power providers are headed in other directions as they add to their capacity to provide safe, clean & efficient power production. See an example in the 2nd link here.

Georgia Power: Customers should pay for busted nuclear budget | www.myajc.com

MidAmerican Energy aims for 85% wind power

[Southern man]

Originally Posted by atler8

What else is new & as if nobody ever saw this coming? Just screw the consumer, as per normal.
FYI: And if you weren't aware of it, we in Georgia are one of the very few "lucky" places to be seeing new nuclear power plant construction.
Elsewhere in the nation, older nuclear power plants are being retired & power providers are headed in other directions as they add to their capacity to provide safe, clean & efficient power production. See an example in the 2nd link here.

Georgia Power: Customers should pay for busted nuclear budget | www.myajc.com

MidAmerican Energy aims for 85% wind power

From the second link.
"
Even with 100 percent of its energy from renewable sources, Fehrman said the investor-owned utility has no plans to retire its coal and natural gas plants.

"During times when the wind isn’t blowing — or isn't blowing enough — our coal plants, gas plants will be picking up the slack," Fehrman "

So in almost every case, the green energy has to be backed up with dirty energy.
But, if it feels good, do it.

[atler8]

Originally Posted by Southern man

From the second link.
"
Even with 100 percent of its energy from renewable sources, Fehrman said the investor-owned utility has no plans to retire its coal and natural gas plants.

"During times when the wind isn’t blowing — or isn't blowing enough — our coal plants, gas plants will be picking up the slack," Fehrman "

So in almost every case, the green energy has to be backed up with dirty energy.
But, if it feels good, do it.

There's more to the story of Mid American than a wise acre line like "...if it feels good, do it."
Mid Americans "dirty energy", is going away as they convert to renewable technology.
The company sees the writing on the wall for the future.

MidAmerican Energy to Switch 674-MW of Coal Capacity to Nat. Gas, Other Fuels

[Southern man]

Originally Posted by atler8

There's more to the story of Mid American than a wise acre line like "...if it feels good, do it."
Mid Americans "dirty energy", is going away as they convert to renewable technology.
The company sees the writing on the wall for the future.

MidAmerican Energy to Switch 674-MW of Coal Capacity to Nat. Gas, Other Fuels

Everybody's doing it.

Georgia Power plans retirement of coal units, conversion to natural gas - Power Engineering

[sedimenjerry]

Originally Posted by Southern man

From the second link.
"
Even with 100 percent of its energy from renewable sources, Fehrman said the investor-owned utility has no plans to retire its coal and natural gas plants.

"During times when the wind isn’t blowing — or isn't blowing enough — our coal plants, gas plants will be picking up the slack," Fehrman "

So in almost every case, the green energy has to be backed up with dirty energy.
But, if it feels good, do it.

Actually just listened to a talk about this in DC this past week. If the networks get built up enough (as they should), you'll be able to have long range transmission of power across the nation to help pick up the slack. This country is large enough that not every place is cloudy or has no wind. If it's cloudy here in GA, it's sunny somewhere else. If there's weak wind here, there are 40 knot winds at 100 feet elsewhere. Technology for wind has also drastically improved over the last several years. Blades have been extended, heights have increased and it's cheaper than before. We're not there yet, obviously, but the reliance on fossil fuels for even backup will end eventually.

[bellhead]

Medium to Large sized coal plants require 200 to 500 or more people to operate. Gas plants producing the same or more energy require a operating staff of around 50 people including admins.

[flyonpa]

Most of the coal plants are at the end/getting to end of the useful life. EPA Clean Air Standards are pushing them offline faster, as the cost to upgrade is to much.

Expect Electric rates to go higher with Coal Plants going offline.

Coal & Nuclear provide Good Cheap Base Load Power. In area where they have gone big into renewable s the rates have doubled. Most renewable are not as predicable sources of power, Wind, Solar have to have a source of non/renewable available when the wind don't blow, and the sun don't shine... So the Electric companies have to have hung number of Gas Turbine electric generators, to be able to fire up to handle the replacement loads, and for power replacement for when the wind/solar are giving little power. Where available Hydro make a good Peak load source, it can be turn'ed on fast, off fast as the peak load comes on and off. The Gas Turbines run well as a mid (many hours) power source. But to use them for Base Load , or renewable replacement is expensive. The cost to build, maintain, have the Gas turbine as replacement power backup for renewable s is factored into the cost, just to have them sit there.

[flyonpa]

As for GeorgiaPower/SouthernCompanies Wanting to push Cost overruns on the to the consumers. If I were on the PUC:

Is the Cost Overrun related to changes Government requirements to build the plant? - Ok to pass along.
Is the Cost Overrun related to things cost more from when the plant was approved, do to poor/guesswork planning in the original plan for the plant.

Things like, when the NRC added requirement to plant builds related to fixing/preventing thing related fuchsia nuclear plant. That would be OK to pass along, Those requirements were not in the plans/cost when the project was approved.

Things like They needed to move 1 million Cubic Feet more dirt off the site in prep work then expected, That would not get passed along. As that was a item that should have been properly planned for in the original PUC request.