Utah is stepping closer to nuclear plant

A legislative interim committee voted unanimously Wednesday to proceed with legislation that could facilitate construction of nuclear power plants in Utah.

The Public Utilities and Technology Interim Committee hopes to have such a bill drafted for the 2008 session of the Legislature.

Christopher R. Parker, staff member working with the committee, outlined a Florida law designed to help build nuclear power plants. It allows a utility to recoup its costs in constructing a nuclear power plant even if it never produces a megawatt of electricity. Florida and eight other states have such laws.

Vanessa Pierce, director of the Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah, told the group that nuclear power would not be as inexpensive as some think. When construction of a nuclear reactor is figured, the cost of power jumps to close to 6 cents a kilowatt-hour, she said.

That's more expensive than electricity generated by coal or natural gas, Pierce added. Under the Florida law, if a plant isn't completed, the project could "leave taxpayers holding the bag," she said.

"This is a very complex issue. The impacts are quite profound for a state that has had such an embittered fight against nuclear waste," said Pierce.

Rep. Michael E. Noel, R-Kanab, asked her whether Utahns are opposed to storing high-level nuclear waste generated in this state.

"Just as we have opposed other states sending their waste to Utah and using Utah as a dumping ground for their waste..., we do not think it is responsible nor prudent for us to dump our waste on any other state," Pierce replied. Also, HEAL does not believe the proposed Yucca Mountain repository in Nevada will be ready to receive high-level nuclear waste anytime soon. The Nevada site has been slowed by environmental opposition.

She said all members of the Utah congressional delegation have said the waste should be stored in hardened casks where it is generated, for the next 100 or 200 years, while waiting for long-term repositories to become available.

Noel said Utah may be in competition with other states concerning nuclear power; if so, the state should encourage its development.

"Many Western countries rely almost totally on nuclear power," and India and China are moving up in that category, he added. Noel quoted a Greenpeace official as supporting nuclear power.

"Utah has the potential to produce nuclear power," Noel said. "We have the uranium," with sources available not only in the Beehive state but also neighboring Arizona.

"The State Energy Policy does provide for the review of the development of nuclear energy, which I think is very prudent that we do," said Rep. Roger Barrus, R-Centerville. The policy, adopted by the Legislature, intends that Utah should explore that form of power generation, he said.

Rep. Janice M. Fisher, D-West Valley City, said legislators should hear from groups like HEAL so that any bill produced "basically has the blessing of everyone that's involved."

Rep. Steven Mascaro, R-West Jordan, moved that the committee proceed with legislation concerning generation of nuclear power in Utah. The committee approved the motion unanimously.

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E-mail: bau@desnews.com

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