Beyond Nuclear's comments to DC PSC opposing Exelon Nuclear's takeover of Mid-Atlantic's Pepco

Participants in the PowerDC rally on Sept. 17, 2015, against Exelon's takeover of Pepco took a group photo before marching to DC Mayor Muriel Bowwer's officeBeyond Nuclear has joined efforts for many months with the PowerDC coalition, and many others, in opposing Exelon Nuclear's takeover of the Mid-Atlantic utility Pepco. Exelon regards Pepco's D.C., MD, and Mid-Atlantic ratepayers as a cash cow, for funneling a steady revenue stream back to IL, to prop up five uncompetitive (not to mention dirty, dangerous, and age-degraded) atomic reactors there.

The Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia had rejected the takeover in August 2015 because it was not in the public interest. But Washington, D.C. Mayor, Muriel Bowswer, reached a secretive, back room deal with Exelon's lobbyists, sending the matter back to the D.C. PSC. Public comments are due by Dec. 18, 2015.

Beyond Nuclear testified at oral hearings before the D.C. PSC in mid-November. It has also submitted the following written comments, in an attempt to shine a light on Exelon Nuclear's rogue corporate behavior, and toxic track record:

Dec. 7, 2015: Beyond Nuclear's comments regarding Exelon's abuse of its own workers, which is documented in Dreux Richard's March 11, 2013 article in the Japan Times, "Toxic management erodes safety at 'world's safest' nuclear plant: Echoes of Fukushima at Exelon's flagship Byron Station in Illinois." This should serve as a cautionary tale for the health, safety, and wellbeing of Pepco workers in and around Washington, D.C., that of their families, and of the community at large, and is reason enough to block Exelon's takeover of Pepco.

Dec. 7, 2015: Beyond Nuclear's comments opposing Exelon takeover of Pepco, due to Exelon's abuse of health, safety, and environmental whistleblowers. The comments tell the story of Commonwealth Edison/Exelon whistleblower Oscar Shirani, who made public major quality assurance and safety regulation violations involving Exelon's containers for ultra-hazardous high-level radioactive waste. The comments also reference U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) whistleblower, Dr. Ross Landsman's, support for Shirani's allegations. Ultimately, Exelon made Shirani pay a high personal price for his whistleblowing. This should serve as a cautionary tale for Pepco employees, who have the courage and integrity to do the right thing, to protect public health, safety, and the environment, when their employer prioritizes profits over these principles. Such whistleblower abuse is a significant reason for the D.C. PSC to block Exelon's takeover of Pepco, for the public's health, safety, and environment is at stake.

Dec. 9, 2015: Beyond Nuclear comments opposing Exelon takeover of Pepco, due to Exelon's demonstrated willingness to harm the health, safety, and environment of its neighbors, including children, in its pursuit of profits. (See the Word version of the comments, for live URL links to relevant documents.) The comments tell the story of the Sauer family of Morris, IL, whose 7-year-old daughter Sarah was diagnosed with a rare form of childhood brain cancer. Morris is the location of Exelon's three reactor Dresden nuclear power plant, as well as the GE-Morris high-level radioactive waste storage facility. The Sauer's research revealed that Exelon's Braidwood nuclear power plant, not far from Morris, had repeatedly leaked massive amounts of hazardous radioactive water (contaminated with tritium, a radioactive form of hydrogen), measuring millions of gallons at a time, into the local drinking water supply. Exelon, with the complicity of the State of IL Environmental Protection Agency, had concealed the leaks from the public for a decade. Sarah's father, Joe Sauer, a medical doctor, documented alarmingly high cancer rates in and around Morris and Braidwood, significantly higher than elsewhere in IL as a whole. The concern is that a toxic, rogue corporation like Exelon, willing to harm its neighbors in IL, may very likely be wiliing to put its new neighbors in the Mid-Atlantic at risk, if allowed to takeover Pepco. This should not be allowed.

Dec. 10, 2015: Beyond Nuclear's comments opposing Exelon's takeover of Pepco, due to Exelon's demonstrated "nuclear war against renewables," in an attempt to "kill the competition," both in IL and nationally -- for which behavior, it has earned the dubious distinction of being the only company ever kicked out of the American Wind Energy Association! Exelon's behavior is averse to D.C.'s cutting edge vision for green, clean, sustainable energy, so it should not be allowed to takeover Pepco and undermine D.C.'s hard won progressive energy policies. (See the Word version of the comments, for live URLs linking to relevant documents.)

For more information on Exelon's nefarious behavior, see Nuclear Energy Information Service of Chicago's exposés on Exelon's attempts to rob ratepayers and taxpayers in IL of more than $1.5 billion. NEIS has been watchdogging Exelon, and its predecessor Commonwealth Edison, for 35 years.

You can take action to stop the Exelon takeover of Pepco. PowerDC has a webform you can personalize, to urge the DC Public Service Commission to stand strong, and once again reject the Exelon takeover of Pepco as not in the public interest!