Kentucky Mulls Lifting Ban on Nuclear Plants
Posted on: Saturday, 10 May 2008, 03:00 CDT
By Blankinship, Steve
For longer than any monarch ever ruled a foreign nation, coal has been King in Kentucky. Today, about 90 percent of the state's electricity comes from coalfired power plants. So a proposal to end a moratorium on nuclear power plants in the heart of coal country is drawing more than a little attention. Kentucky legislators are considering lifting a state ban on nuclear plants imposed more than 20 years ago. The move would clear the way to potentially diversify the state'spower generation mix. Sponsors of a state senate bill to lift the ban cited improved ability to safely store nuclear waste on- site at nuclear plants as a reason why other states are receptive to allowing new nuclear construction. Kentucky's current stance, say backers of the proposed repeal measure, is keeping the state from competing for nuclear power projects.
Under the state's moratorium, no nuclear power plant can be built until a long-term federal disposal site has become operational. The ban has endured longer than many expected because development of the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste facility in Nevada, which started in the 1980s, remains unsettled. Yucca Mountain is not expected to be operational until perhaps 2021.
The lack of a long-term disposal site shouldn't limit the opportunity to explore nuclear power projects in Kentucky, said State Senator Bob Leeper, who introduced the rollback bill.
Kentucky's coal association supports generation diversity, including nuclear.
Kentucky is also a domestic source of uranium in addition to coal. Rob Ervin of the United Steel Workers, which has hundreds of members working in the uranium enrichment field near Paducah, said the safety of nuclear power has come a long way. "Exploring our options and giving us a chance to capitalize on the rebirth of an industry is what this bill is all about," Ervin said. "Limiting our options based on a moratorium from a bygone era does not."
The Kentucky Coal Association is not taking a stand on the issue, but does support diversification in the state. Bill Caylor, association president, said he believes Kentucky needs a diverse energy portfolio and that nuclear power should be part of it. He called coal "the bridge to the future" saying it was the cheapest source, thereby giving it an edge. "But this country truly needs more energy resources," he said.-Steve Blankinship
Copyright PennWell Publishing Company Apr 2008
(c) 2008 Power Engineering. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.
Source: Power Engineering
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