Build Nuclear Power Plant, but Where is the Question
Posted on: Wednesday, 2 November 2005, 21:01 CST
For a while anyway, it looked as if the Belews Creek station in Stokes County was in the running as Duke Powers next nuclear power plant. Apparently it isnt. Yet even if Belews Creek still were on Dukes short list, the nuclear option was worth considering.
Half of Duke Powers 2 million customers already get electricity generated at three nuclear power plants. So expanding that safe, reliable and clean delivery system shouldnt cause a stir.
Since the 1979 partial meltdown at Three Mile Island near Harrisburg, Pa., safety and waste disposal have remained concerns. But the long hiatus in domestic nuclear power plant construction is nearing an end. To meet rising customer demand, Duke will build somewhere in the Carolinas and hopes to be up and running in about 10 years.
The pros and cons of nuclear power generation deserve a fair hearing. Dukes been doing it without incident since 1973. By all accounts, the McGuire Nuclear Station near Huntersville and similar facilities in Upstate South Carolina are good neighbors. No major accidents or incidents. Yet nagging questions linger. In a post-9/ 11 world, are nuclear installations more inviting terrorist targets than coal-fired plants? Has federal foot-dragging over establishing a national waste depository heightened risks for people living near plants where spent material is stored? And will waste shipments routed over highways or rail lines endanger the public?
In the long run, however, nuclear power may prevail. While supplies of fossil fuels dwindle, theres plenty of uranium, and nuclear plants dont pollute the air nearly as much as their coal- fired counterparts.
Barring a drastic and unlikely change in energy consumption, the nations demand for power generation will mushroom. Wind and solar sources are possibilities, but for now nuclear energy is the most viable choice.
Dukes first job is choosing a location that not only serves its needs but also considers community input. Even if it wont be in our back yard.
Source: Greensboro News Record
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