Duke's Nuclear Costs Will Remain Secret

To continue the topic of the previous post... Since 2005, opponents of nuclear power have repeatedly asked state regulators to make Duke Energy reveal the costs of its proposed nuclear plant in Cherokee County, South Carolina, which lies just on the border of NC. Customers from NC would use most of the energy and pay most of the costs of construction.

But regulators ruled today that potential costs - which, again it must be noted, NC customers will have to pay - are Duke's trade secret. From the News & Observer:

The N.C. Utilities Commission agreed with the Charlotte electric utility that the estimated cost of a proposed nuclear plant is a "trade secret" under North Carolina law...

Nuclear opponents have asked state regulators in North and South Carolina to force Duke to disclose its cost estimate, contending the public should not be deprived of this vital information on a decision of such magnitude to the state.

The costs of the plant won't be revealed for at least another six months; it could be much longer if Duke continues negotiations with various parties involved. Duke expects the plant to be operational in 2018.

Cost of Nuclear in NC?

Interesting story ran in the News and Observer about the cost of new nuclear plants, specifically one in SC that would feed both the Carolinas. Here's a taste:

Nuclear opponents are trying to force Duke Energy of Charlotte to disclose the projected cost of a proposed nuclear plant in Cherokee County, S.C., that would serve the Carolinas. The groups have asked officials in both states to require that Duke disclose the estimate. South Carolina regulators are expected to rule on the request today. North Carolina regulators could decide as early as Tuesday.

"If you want the ratepayers to pay for something, are you going to tell them it's none of their business?" said C. Dukes Scott, South Carolina's consumer advocate, who represents the public in utility rate cases.

Again, we get to see Jim Rogers use his legendary, note-worthy double talk. Duke Energy admits the estimates of operating costs given in February were inaccurate. But now their operation costs are "confidential" when in February they weren't. Hmm...

Environmental Blogs

With the Carolina Parakeet in mind, read this article on John James Audobon by the New Republic.

It looks not only at the objective toll of extinction but also at the psychological effects the daily loss of numerous species had on one great conservationist, and by proxy the rest of us.

You've probably visited the award-worthy Dot Earth by Andrew Revkin of the New York Times. There is another excellent resource out there to find great environmental info, the meta-blog: ScienceBlogs - Environment. It keeps a running tally of the latest blog entries - all financed by Seed Magazine - that have to do with the environment.

Also, take a look at the Wall Street Journal's Environment Blog, Environmental Capital.

If you have the time, listen to this interesting inteview with Romesh Ratnesar, deputy managing editor of Time Magazine (audio interview), wherein he discusses that publication's new way of framing the environmental debate, and calls the national priority in tackling climate change analogous to the challenge of WWII or the Great Depression. The interview asks the question: 'Is the magazine's stance 'objective' or is it 'advocacy?'

Energy Saver - Your Box Fan

As suggested by a reader of our blog and an illustrious member of our Capital Group, we offer this tip on energy conservation:

"Here is a description of a simple technique that reduces the amount of electricity we use. It works best in the spring, early summer and fall.

"Your first step is to purchase a 20" box fan. Then either late at night (usually 10:30p.m.) or early in the morning (usually 6:30a.m.) turn on the weather channel or your computer and see what the outside temperature is. If the temperature is 70 degrees or lower put the fan in the window, turn it to the high setting and either push air into or draw outside air through the house.

"If possible let the fan run for an hour. You will notice your thermostat fall by four or five degrees. It only takes a minute to glance at the outside temperature and put the fan in the window.

"When we do this our main air conditioning unit does not come on until three or four in the afternoon instead of ten or eleven in the morning. Our house is 1,900 square feet. This technique reduces our electric bill by $70 per month and we do this six months during the year.

"This fan procedure has certainly saved us a lot of money. The money you save is your own! The environment we save is our own!"

Marvin Woll
Raleigh, NC

Biofuel Debate in NC

First, take a look at this op-ed, and this article, both of which ran recently in the News and Observer.

The biofuel debate is looming. But politicians, the media, and many environmental groups don't know where to stand, which is problematic when the issue is referenced repeatedly as a cure-all for climate change, energy issues, poverty, and countless other problems facing humanity.

Like the op-ed points out, oil is a great catalyst for economic growth, especially in once stagnant local economies. But we all know the costs of oil.

Just what are the costs of biofuel? It wasn't reported widely, but recent US investment in biofuels drastically increased the price of corn-based foods in Mexico, leading to the "Tortilla Riots" in Mexico City, where tortilla prices shot up 400%.

Once the primary foodstuff of Mexico's poor, tortillas have now become a symbol of one of the main objections to current biofuels: inevitably, the development of biofuels will raise food prices for the world's poor.

Another objection, just as well-founded as the above, is that corn has long been discredited as a biofuel. It doesn't work logistically. But when do problems of logistics stop industry lobbyists? Does it matter that to actually replace US consumption on foreign oil with ethanol would require over 70% of US acreage? Not when every gallon of ethanol mixed into a barrel of gasoline nets $0.51 (courtesy of US taxpayers) to the "energy conscious" oil company.

So what is a better idea for NC? Electric cars are cleaner and more efficient than ethanol-dependent cars, not to mention they do not require massive deforestation or large amounts of environment-damaging materials (fertilizer, pesticide, etc.). North Carolina is known for its commitment to research and development. The state should take a good look at ethical and effective energy solutions and not what is politically expedient.

NASA, Climate Change, and Duke Energy (and Jim Rogers)

This past week, an interesting (eg. rather frightening) report was published by leading climate change experts, among them Dr. Jim Hansen of both NASA and the Colombia Earth Institute. As opposed to theoretical models, these researchers used history as their guide.

And the findings, you've probably already guessed, are not so good for the climate.

To study the history of climate change, the researchers drilled core samples from the bottom of the ocean. Then, they compared current atmospheric carbon levels with the levels around the times of past climate disasters.

You can check out the best coverage of the story in the Guardian.

Immediately, the Guardian reported, Hansen et al. called for massive carbon reductions if, "humanity wishes to preserve a planet similar to that on which civilisation developed."

He told representatives of various EU member countries that they'd better slash their carbon emissions to 350ppm (parts per million ). At 550ppm, the EU already has the most stringent carbon controls in the world.

Hansen recently wrote a letter to Duke CEO Jim Rogers, urging him to reconsider construction of the Cliffside Coal Plant Dr. Hansen explains the plant is at the bare minimum a tremendous waste of money as it will have to be shut down in the near future.

In that letter, Hansen urged Jim Rogers to meet and discuss carbon emissions, the role of Duke Power in climate change, and the impact of Cliffside on global warming. As reported in the Washington Post, Rogers accepted. We'll see how productive the meeting really is, but here's hoping the professor can teach something to North Carolina's captain of industry.

7 Sign Mayor's Agreement

Seven cities in North Carolina recently signed the US Mayor's Agreement. And they are:

Bald Head Island
Bethania
Burlington
Chimney Rock
Kings Mountain
Matthews
Pilot Mountain

Cool Cities designations are pending. We applaud these cities for their commitment to curb carbon emissions.