OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Saw this in my twitter feed today:
Haney outlines plans to finish idled nuclear plant
Cliff notes version:
Like with Watts Bar unit #2, the Bellefonte plant fell victim to cost overruns and bureaucracy that eventually killed it. Construction of the plant started in 1975, however the plug was pulled in 1988. Various attempts to finish the project happened over the years and more recently a plan to instead, build 2 new more advanced units at the site was tabled, but cancelled. Unit 1 was originally something like 86% complete, but unlike with Watts Bar #2 (which was finally made operational), the cancellation led to reclamation of parts for other facilities and completion now sits at somewhere around 50%.
Private investor and former developer Franklin Haney was able to reach a deal to buy the plant for $111 million, paid $22 million as a deposit, and has until November to complete the purchase.
Haney has hired Canadian company SNC-Lavalin, who owns CANDU Energy, to complete the project. SNC has been involved in many nuclear projects here in Ontario and has an excellent track record.
Where things get a bit funky here is:
- There is, at present, no public demand for the energy to be produced from the facility, whose generation capacity would sit at 2,470MWe
- Haney has indicated that he has secured "private interest" that would be purchasing all of the output from Unit #1 and is working on the same for #2
- Various groups have stated that the plant, in its present state, will not be certifiable, so starting from a "we are going to complete it" base is folly. There have been too many things left exposed for an extended period and extensive testing will need to be done to determine what's viable and what isn't and then from that point, a way forward, if possible, would need to be planned. SNC however, says they are confident in the viability of the project
Nuclear is presently the 2nd biggest source of power in the state.
Haney outlines plans to finish idled nuclear plant
Cliff notes version:
Like with Watts Bar unit #2, the Bellefonte plant fell victim to cost overruns and bureaucracy that eventually killed it. Construction of the plant started in 1975, however the plug was pulled in 1988. Various attempts to finish the project happened over the years and more recently a plan to instead, build 2 new more advanced units at the site was tabled, but cancelled. Unit 1 was originally something like 86% complete, but unlike with Watts Bar #2 (which was finally made operational), the cancellation led to reclamation of parts for other facilities and completion now sits at somewhere around 50%.
Private investor and former developer Franklin Haney was able to reach a deal to buy the plant for $111 million, paid $22 million as a deposit, and has until November to complete the purchase.
Haney has hired Canadian company SNC-Lavalin, who owns CANDU Energy, to complete the project. SNC has been involved in many nuclear projects here in Ontario and has an excellent track record.
Where things get a bit funky here is:
- There is, at present, no public demand for the energy to be produced from the facility, whose generation capacity would sit at 2,470MWe
- Haney has indicated that he has secured "private interest" that would be purchasing all of the output from Unit #1 and is working on the same for #2
- Various groups have stated that the plant, in its present state, will not be certifiable, so starting from a "we are going to complete it" base is folly. There have been too many things left exposed for an extended period and extensive testing will need to be done to determine what's viable and what isn't and then from that point, a way forward, if possible, would need to be planned. SNC however, says they are confident in the viability of the project
Nuclear is presently the 2nd biggest source of power in the state.
