New York State Department of Public Service Faces Opposition Over Proposed Nuclear Power Plant Bailout

The proposed bailout of the Ginna nuclear power reactor, owned by Exelon, has faced strong opposition from a citizen, Martha Cameron. In a letter to the New York State Department of Public Service, she expressed her concerns over the agreement between Exelon and Rochester Gas and Electric, which would subsidize Ginna through October 2018. The proposed agreement is estimated to cost Rochester-area consumers an extra $175 million for electricity, without adequately studying whether lower cost and cleaner alternatives are available.

Key Takeaways:

• The proposed bailout of the Ginna nuclear power reactor would cost Rochester-area consumers an estimated $175 million extra for electricity.
• The agreement between Exelon and Rochester Gas and Electric would subsidize Ginna through October 2018, despite a transmission upgrade that could eliminate the need for the plant by summer 2017.
• Rochester Gas and Electric should be held accountable for its planning failures that led to the situation, and consumers should not be required to pay for the company's bad planning.
• New York's leadership should begin discussing a decommissioning plan for Ginna with Exelon to ensure that the process is conducted safely and efficiently.
• The Rochester region should rapidly shift to lower cost, safer, and/or cleaner alternatives, including energy conservation, energy efficiency, and weatherization, wind, solar, demand response programs, transmission upgrades, and storage.

Statistics:

• The estimated cost of the proposed bailout to Rochester-area consumers: $175 million
• The duration of the proposed agreement between Exelon and Rochester Gas and Electric: October 2018
• The estimated cost of the monthly subsidy for an extra year or two after the upgrade is finished: $4.1 million
• The number of years Exelon is expected to mothball Ginna before beginning cleanup: 60
• The current rate of extreme poverty of any comparably sized city in the United States in Rochester: Not available
• The percentage of residents, local businesses, and municipalities that would face unjust hardship due to increasing electricity prices: Not available

Sources:

• Letter from Martha Cameron to the New York State Department of Public Service (no date provided)
• Rochester Gas and Electric's identification of a transmission upgrade that could eliminate the need for Ginna by summer 2017 (no date provided)
• Editorial@plusmediasolutions.com (contact for editorial inquiries)