NRC accepts application for new reactors at Turkey Point site in Florida
Sep 08, 2009 -- NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION DOCUMENTS AND
> PUBLICATIONS/ContentWorks - The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has
> accepted for review the combined license (COL) application for two
> Advanced Passive 1000 (AP1000) reactors at the Turkey Point site near
> Homestead, Fla.
>
>
> 2 Fla. PSC staffers resign as nuke plant weighed TALLAHASSEE, Fla.
> (The Associated Press) - Sep 8 - By BILL KACZOR Associated Press
> Writer
>
> Two top Public Service Commission staffers resigned Tuesday and
> two others went on administrative leave as alleged ethics lapses again
> overshadowed a hearing on proposed rate increases - this time to pay
> for new nuclear power plants.
>
> At least the appearance of a too-cozy relationship with Florida
> Power & Light Co., one of two utilities seeking higher nuclear rates,
> led to the resignation of Ryder Rudd as director of strategic analysis
> and governmental affairs.
>
> Rudd, whose duties included lobbying the Legislature, last month
> acknowledged he and his wife attended a Kentucky Derby Party at the
> home of an FPL executive. That disclosure came as the commission began
> hearings on a separate FPL request to raise its base rates.
>
> Commissioner Nancy Argenziano's chief adviser, Larry Harris, also
> resigned at her request after admitting he gave the private messaging
> code for his smartphone to an FPL executive.
>
> Argenziano questioned Harris after reading an online report over
> the Labor Day weekend posted by the Miami Herald/St. Petersburg Times
> Tallahassee Bureau saying at least three commission staffers had given
> smartphone codes to an FPL lawyer. That potentially allowed utility
> officials to communicate directly with commissioners outside public
> view.
>
> Commission spokeswoman Cynthia Muir confirmed both resignations.
> Muir said Commissioner Lisa Edgar also put her top aide, Roberta Bass,
> on administrative leave pending further review. The Herald/Times later
> Tuesday reported William Garner, chief adviser to commission Chairman
> Matthew Carter, also had been placed on administrative leave. Garner
> and Bass had given the private code for instant messaging from Edgar's
> smartphone, the newspapers reported.
>
> State Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, dashed off a letter to
> Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, asking him to let
> the chamber's Ethics and Elections Committee question the
> commissioners and their staffers.
>
> "It is unfortunate that the agency tasked to make certain that a
> proper balance between the needs of the business community and the
> utility customer is maintained is so obviously skewed toward the
> utilities,"
> Fasano
> wrote.
>
> Last week, Fasano also urged Gov. Charlie Crist to hold up a
> decision on whether to reappoint two of the commissioners, until after
> rate cases involving FPL and Progress Energy Florida are resolved.
>
> While the internal turmoil was going on behind the scenes, an
> environmental group urged the five-member commission in public session
> to put plans for new and upgraded nuclear plants on hold because they
> no longer are economically feasible.
>
> Gary Davis, a lawyer for the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy,
> cited such factors as falling demand for power, declining natural gas
> prices, rising nuclear plant construction costs and federal
> legislation requiring more efficient appliances and setting higher
> renewable energy standards.
>
> "When utilities bet the farm on an $18 billion project the rate
> payers suffer if the bet goes bad," Davis said.
>
> FPL lawyer Bryan Anderson emphasized the utility's proposal would
> add only 67 cents to a monthly bill for 1,000 kilowatt hours, which is
> fairly typical. Anderson said feasibility studies show adding two more
> units to FPL's Turkey Point complex and upgrading the rest of the
> facility would be "solidly cost-effective."
>
> Joseph McGlothlin of the state's Office of Public Council said
> FPL is relying on an outdated 2007 forecast.
>
> Progress Energy wants an increase of $2.38 per 1,000 kilowatt
> hours a month to help pay for a new plant in Levy County. That request
> is expected to come up later in the hearings scheduled through Friday.
>
> The commission is expected to rule on both requests in December.
> If the increases are approved they would be in effect throughout 2010.
> The
> nuclear cost recovery requests are on top of proposals by both
> companies to raise base rates.
>
> FPL's base rate proposal would raise it by $12.40 for 1,000
> kilowatt hours. Progress Energy is seeking a $13 increase for 1,000
> kilowatt hours.
>
> FPL is Florida's largest electric utility and serves 4.5 million
> homes, businesses and other customers in South Florida and along the
> east coast.
>
> Progress Energy has about 1.7 million Florida customers mostly in
> the Tampa Bay area, Orlando suburbs and Big Bend region.
>
> PUBLICATIONS/ContentWorks - The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has
> accepted for review the combined license (COL) application for two
> Advanced Passive 1000 (AP1000) reactors at the Turkey Point site near
> Homestead, Fla.
>
>
> 2 Fla. PSC staffers resign as nuke plant weighed TALLAHASSEE, Fla.
> (The Associated Press) - Sep 8 - By BILL KACZOR Associated Press
> Writer
>
> Two top Public Service Commission staffers resigned Tuesday and
> two others went on administrative leave as alleged ethics lapses again
> overshadowed a hearing on proposed rate increases - this time to pay
> for new nuclear power plants.
>
> At least the appearance of a too-cozy relationship with Florida
> Power & Light Co., one of two utilities seeking higher nuclear rates,
> led to the resignation of Ryder Rudd as director of strategic analysis
> and governmental affairs.
>
> Rudd, whose duties included lobbying the Legislature, last month
> acknowledged he and his wife attended a Kentucky Derby Party at the
> home of an FPL executive. That disclosure came as the commission began
> hearings on a separate FPL request to raise its base rates.
>
> Commissioner Nancy Argenziano's chief adviser, Larry Harris, also
> resigned at her request after admitting he gave the private messaging
> code for his smartphone to an FPL executive.
>
> Argenziano questioned Harris after reading an online report over
> the Labor Day weekend posted by the Miami Herald/St. Petersburg Times
> Tallahassee Bureau saying at least three commission staffers had given
> smartphone codes to an FPL lawyer. That potentially allowed utility
> officials to communicate directly with commissioners outside public
> view.
>
> Commission spokeswoman Cynthia Muir confirmed both resignations.
> Muir said Commissioner Lisa Edgar also put her top aide, Roberta Bass,
> on administrative leave pending further review. The Herald/Times later
> Tuesday reported William Garner, chief adviser to commission Chairman
> Matthew Carter, also had been placed on administrative leave. Garner
> and Bass had given the private code for instant messaging from Edgar's
> smartphone, the newspapers reported.
>
> State Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, dashed off a letter to
> Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, asking him to let
> the chamber's Ethics and Elections Committee question the
> commissioners and their staffers.
>
> "It is unfortunate that the agency tasked to make certain that a
> proper balance between the needs of the business community and the
> utility customer is maintained is so obviously skewed toward the
> utilities,"
> Fasano
> wrote.
>
> Last week, Fasano also urged Gov. Charlie Crist to hold up a
> decision on whether to reappoint two of the commissioners, until after
> rate cases involving FPL and Progress Energy Florida are resolved.
>
> While the internal turmoil was going on behind the scenes, an
> environmental group urged the five-member commission in public session
> to put plans for new and upgraded nuclear plants on hold because they
> no longer are economically feasible.
>
> Gary Davis, a lawyer for the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy,
> cited such factors as falling demand for power, declining natural gas
> prices, rising nuclear plant construction costs and federal
> legislation requiring more efficient appliances and setting higher
> renewable energy standards.
>
> "When utilities bet the farm on an $18 billion project the rate
> payers suffer if the bet goes bad," Davis said.
>
> FPL lawyer Bryan Anderson emphasized the utility's proposal would
> add only 67 cents to a monthly bill for 1,000 kilowatt hours, which is
> fairly typical. Anderson said feasibility studies show adding two more
> units to FPL's Turkey Point complex and upgrading the rest of the
> facility would be "solidly cost-effective."
>
> Joseph McGlothlin of the state's Office of Public Council said
> FPL is relying on an outdated 2007 forecast.
>
> Progress Energy wants an increase of $2.38 per 1,000 kilowatt
> hours a month to help pay for a new plant in Levy County. That request
> is expected to come up later in the hearings scheduled through Friday.
>
> The commission is expected to rule on both requests in December.
> If the increases are approved they would be in effect throughout 2010.
> The
> nuclear cost recovery requests are on top of proposals by both
> companies to raise base rates.
>
> FPL's base rate proposal would raise it by $12.40 for 1,000
> kilowatt hours. Progress Energy is seeking a $13 increase for 1,000
> kilowatt hours.
>
> FPL is Florida's largest electric utility and serves 4.5 million
> homes, businesses and other customers in South Florida and along the
> east coast.
>
> Progress Energy has about 1.7 million Florida customers mostly in
> the Tampa Bay area, Orlando suburbs and Big Bend region.
>