Debunking false claims of electric rate increases if Indian Point Units 2 & 3 are shutdown

Marilyn Elie of Cortlandt, New York, a co-founder of Westchester Citizens Awareness Network and one of the original members of the Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition, has been involved in following events at Indian Point for the last 18 years. She recently wrote an op-ed at LowHud.com debunking misleading claims by the right-wing Manhattan Institute that shutting down Entergy Nuclear's Indian Point Units 2 & 3 atomic reactors would result in significant increases in regional consumers' electricity bills.

Marilyn concludes her op-ed:

"The NYISO [New York Independent System Operator] report is clear: even with this high-usage prediction, only 750 MW of replacement power would be needed by 2016 should both plants close. And, as both the NYISO and Manhattan Institute reports acknowledge, this amount of electricity does not have to come from new generation. It can come from improvements in transmission, demand response where large users enter into a contract with Con Ed to cut back usage at certain peak times in exchange for a lower rate, or it could be made up by changes in rules and regulations."

As reported by LoHud.com, Phillip Musegaas of Riverkeeper also responded to the Manhattan Institute report, saying that the Manhattan Institute author, Jonathon Lesser:

"...'cherry-picked' the facts. The report doesn’t consider new generating or transmission projects that are planned and glosses over the benefits of conservation, he said."

" 'This report actually recycles the same tired argument about the impacts of closing Indian Point that have been made repeatedly in the last few years and ignores recent developments that demonstrate Indian Point’s power can be replaced on time and affordably,' Musegaas said."

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a paid spokesman for the nuclear power industry, joined the Manhattan Institute author to praise Indian Point and call for its license extension. New York's Governor, Andrew Cuomo, however, has long called for Indian Point's permanent shutdown.