NEIS urges IL state legislature to oppose Exelon's attempt to scam EPA carbon rule for massive bailout
"Nuclear Illinois" map produced by NEISAs reported by the Chicago Tribune:
"Exelon has asked the Environmental Protection Agency to change its proposed emissions rules to ensure that all of its nuclear power plants and other nuclear facilities across the U.S. remain financially viable. 'We're the largest clean-energy producer in the country. We've ridden that horse for a long time,' said William Von Hoene, Exelon's senior executive vice president and chief strategy officer, noting that 'if nuclear is not preserved in this country, there is no way we can meet those carbon rules.'"
Exelon's is the biggest nuclear utility in the U.S., with 11 still operating, and 3 permanently closed, atomic reactors in the State of Illinois alone (map, left).
Nuclear Energy Information Service (NEIS) begged to differ, issuing a press release. NEIS urged the IL state legislature to oppose the bailout sought by Exelon, warning that the company seeks to scam EPA carbon rules to subsidize nuclear power in Illinois and the nation."
NEIS stated:
"Exelon’s scheming to garner subsidies for unprofitable nuclear plants in Illinois uses the recent EPA carbon standards rule as a fig leaf for the enormous rip off it represents. It should be opposed by the Legislature.
Exelon’s nuclear plants have been paid for numerous times over by ratepayers: through the rate hikes that built them; through the estimated $6-$11 billion in “stranded costs” awarded them when Illinois went from a regulated to a market-based system; and in the $21 billion [Citizens Utility Board] reports these plants have earned Exelon in the last decade alone."
NEIS has prepared a petition. Its goal is to collect 1,000 signatures to turn in to President Obama, the EPA, and IL state legislators.
What can you do? Take action! See Beyond Nuclear's recent action alerts and backgrounders!
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Michael Mariotte, President of NIRS, has reported some important additional information on nuclear goings on in IL and at the national level, in his GreenWorld blog entry entitled "NRG spars with Exelon over uneconomic reactors, carbon rule."