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Environmental Groups Change Tune on Nuclear Power

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thackney:
Environmental Groups Change Tune on Nuclear Power
http://www.wsj.com/articles/environmental-groups-change-tune-on-nuclear-power-1466100644
June 16, 2016

Some of the nation’s most influential environmental groups are softening their longstanding opposition to nuclear power, marking a significant shift in the antinuclear movement as environmentalists’ priority shifts to climate change.

The change is lowering one of the biggest political hurdles facing the nuclear power industry in the U.S. and comes at a critical time, as several financially struggling reactors are set to shut down.

“Because the historical context is that these groups were opposed to nuclear, their absence on the opposition front is noticed,” said Joe Dominguez, executive vice president for governmental and regulatory affairs for  Exelon Corp. , the biggest owner of nuclear plants in the U.S. “I think it’s pretty significant.”

Nuclear power, which emits no greenhouse gases, provides roughly 20% of U.S. electricity and 60% of carbon-free electricity, according to federal data. Pressed by cheap natural gas and state policies that favor renewables over nuclear power, roughly a dozen reactors are either poised to shut down in the coming years or have already.

The Sierra Club, the country’s oldest and largest environmental group, is debating whether to halt its longtime position in support of shuttering all existing nuclear-power plants earlier than required by their federal operating licenses. The environmental group’s leaders see existing reactors as a bridge to renewable electricity and an alternative source of energy as the group campaigns to shut down coal and natural gas plants.

The Environmental Defense Fund is similarly deciding to what extent it should adjust its policy, potentially lending its support to keeping open financially struggling reactors.

In Illinois, the Natural Resources Defense Council, along with the Sierra Club and EDF, are among the advocacy groups working with Exelon and state lawmakers on a legislative deal that would reverse a decision the company made in early June to close two nuclear reactors in the next two years....

IsailedawayfromFR:

--- Quote from: thackney on June 22, 2016, 12:37:46 pm ---Environmental Groups Change Tune on Nuclear Power
http://www.wsj.com/articles/environmental-groups-change-tune-on-nuclear-power-1466100644
June 16, 2016

Some of the nation’s most influential environmental groups are softening their longstanding opposition to nuclear power, marking a significant shift in the antinuclear movement as environmentalists’ priority shifts to climate change.

The change is lowering one of the biggest political hurdles facing the nuclear power industry in the U.S. and comes at a critical time, as several financially struggling reactors are set to shut down.

“Because the historical context is that these groups were opposed to nuclear, their absence on the opposition front is noticed,” said Joe Dominguez, executive vice president for governmental and regulatory affairs for  Exelon Corp. , the biggest owner of nuclear plants in the U.S. “I think it’s pretty significant.”

Nuclear power, which emits no greenhouse gases, provides roughly 20% of U.S. electricity and 60% of carbon-free electricity, according to federal data. Pressed by cheap natural gas and state policies that favor renewables over nuclear power, roughly a dozen reactors are either poised to shut down in the coming years or have already.

The Sierra Club, the country’s oldest and largest environmental group, is debating whether to halt its longtime position in support of shuttering all existing nuclear-power plants earlier than required by their federal operating licenses. The environmental group’s leaders see existing reactors as a bridge to renewable electricity and an alternative source of energy as the group campaigns to shut down coal and natural gas plants.

The Environmental Defense Fund is similarly deciding to what extent it should adjust its policy, potentially lending its support to keeping open financially struggling reactors.

In Illinois, the Natural Resources Defense Council, along with the Sierra Club and EDF, are among the advocacy groups working with Exelon and state lawmakers on a legislative deal that would reverse a decision the company made in early June to close two nuclear reactors in the next two years....

--- End quote ---

Interesting read, but darn if I would build a multi-million dollar nuclear power plant and get a court-ordered injunction from operating it after it is built like Shoreham.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoreham_Nuclear_Power_Plant

Suppressed:

--- Quote from: thackney on June 22, 2016, 12:37:46 pm ---Some of the nation’s most influential environmental groups are softening their longstanding opposition to nuclear power, marking a significant shift in the antinuclear movement as environmentalists’ priority shifts to climate change.
--- End quote ---

I've found Millennials to be very pro-nuclear, in general.  Surprised me.  Perhaps someday soon, nukes will return.

Smokin Joe:

--- Quote from: Suppressed on June 24, 2016, 02:07:44 am ---I've found Millennials to be very pro-nuclear, in general.  Surprised me.  Perhaps someday soon, nukes will return.

--- End quote ---
They never sang "Duck and Cover" so they missed out on the whole MAD aspect of the nuclear program. They never looked under that corner of the bed, and besides, they are going to need SOMEthing reliable to charge their i-phones and the solar bird burners and the Eagle-matics (when they are whirlygigging along) just might leave them a watt or so short...

To them, the boogeyman is the oceans rising 1 cm a year and flooding out all the land.  Of course, the next Ice age would be around long before that, but who's doing the math? It's hard, and nobody wants to.

DB:
Diablo Canyon, the last nuclear plant in California is going to close by 2025 - or sooner if their permits are not renewed. It produces 9% of California's electricity.

The environazies have made nuclear power too expensive. Electricity in California is going to get considerably more expensive and less reliable. Progressive regressives...

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