Wind Farms – Not Nuke Plants

Nuclear Shutdown News June 2018

By Michael Steinberg / Black Rain Press

Nuclear Shutdown News chronicles the decline and fall of the nuclear power industry in the US and beyond, and highlights the efforts of those who are working to create a nuclear free world. Here is our June 2018 report.

While Nukes Continue to Fade Away, the Answer Is Increasingly Blowing In the Wind

While most attention has been paid to California’s last two nuclear plants shutting down, New England has had more close permanently over the years. In Cali the San Onofre nuke plant in the southland’s two remaining reactors gave up the ghost in 2013, while Diablo Canyon’s two reactors are slated for shutdown in 2024 and 2025.

The only other nuke to operate in the state, Rancho Seco near Sacramento, was shutdown after a public vote to do so in 1989.

Meanwhile, in Yankeeland, Yankee Rowe in Western Massachusetts closed in ’96, Maine Yankee in ’97, Millstone I in my home state of Connecticut in ’98, Connecticut Yankee in 2004, and Vermont Yankee in 2014.

The Pilgrim nuclear plant on Cape Cod in Mass is scheduled for retirement next year, while the troublesome Indian Point’s dual reactors, located on the Hudson River only 30-some miles north of Manhattan, will pull the plug in 2020 and 2021.

That leaves only two more reactors at Millstone and one at Seabrook in New Hampshire still operating–for now.

As for Millstone’s 43 year old Unit 2 and Unit 3’s 32 year old reactor, owner Dominion Energy of Richmond, Virginia, keeps making noises about shutting down that nuke plant if it doesn’t get its way with gouging customers, who already pay some of the highest rates in the nation.

Most recently the New London (CT) Day reported, on June 6:

“Dominion makes push to prove Millstone is ‘at risk’ of closure. Dominion  vice president Dan Stoddard called his nuke plant an “at risk resource” and claimed the company must invest $700 million into Millstone “now through 2025 to maintain excellent (sic) operations.”

Translation: If the state of Connecticut won’t let us ripoff our already  grossly overcharged customers even more, we’re going to take our keys and run back below the Mason-Dixon Line.

Renewable Revolution Coming To Town

As the nukesters continue to offer nothing but more cancer, more plutonium, and no hope, a report in the June 13 Connecticut Mirror detailed an offshore wind energy project that the state’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has committed to.

Deepwater Winds, a New England company, the Mirror reported, was awarded a contract to provide “200 megawatts” of wind generated electricity … in an area half way between Martha’s Vineyard (in MA) and Montauk (the east end of NY’s Long Island), which will power 100,00 homes, according to the Mirror.

The Mirror continued, “Deepwater’s proposal would create 140 direct and indirect jobs and other benefits, including a $15 million investment refurbishing the port of  (impoverished) New London (5 miles east of Millstone) to handle staging and other industrial needs for this and future offshore projects.

“Deepwater also committed to workforce development, a research partnership ” with the local branch of the University of Connecticut, “and most uniquely, a promise to contract with local boat builders to build a transfer vessel for work crews.”

The Mirror also reported that “areas already purchased off New England and New York (by Deepwater and other wind companies) “alone can handle close to gigawatts–nearly four times the power from both units at Millstone.”

The Mirror cited a study by the Clean Energy States Alliance that “determined offshore wind projects from Maryland to Massachusetts could create 40,00) jobs by 2028.”

Sources: The Day, the day.com; The Connecticut Mirror, connecticutmirror.org