Nuclear Court Fight Heats Up (Florida)

[bananas]

http://www.wctv.tv/home/headlines/Nuclear_Court_Fight_Heats_Up_146979745.html

Posted: 10:28 AM Apr 11, 2012

Nuclear Court Fight Heats Up
THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE, April 10, 2012
Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida

With legislative leaders rejecting possible changes, a fight is building in the Florida Supreme Court about a law that allows utilities to pass along hundreds of millions of dollars in costs to customers for nuclear-power projects.

Four lawmakers this week filed a brief in support of an effort by the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy to nix the law, which is controversial in part because customers are getting billed for projects that might never be built.

But court records show that Florida Power & Light and Progress Energy Florida --- the two utilities planning nuclear projects --- have hired former Supreme Court justices to represent them in fighting the case.

Progress will be represented by former Chief Justice Stephen Grimes, while FPL will be represented by former Justice Raoul Cantero, according to filings last month.

Reps. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda, D-Tallahassee, and Mark Pafford, D-West Palm Beach, and Sens. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, and Charlie Dean, R-Inverness, filed the brief this week challenging the constitutionality of the 2006 nuclear-cost law.

<snip>

[Jefferson23]

1. kick.

[kristopher]

2. Exelon CEO on new nuclear: it’s on the backs of the ratepayers, not the backs of the shareholders

State Help Needed for New Nuclear Units, Exelon Chief Says
By Brian Wingfield
Apr 11, 2012 4:58 PM ET

U.S. utilities will need government help to build nuclear reactors as other forms of electric power become less expensive, a top executive of Exelon Corp. (EXC), the nation’s largest commercial producer of atomic energy, said.

State support may include letting companies recover costs from customers during construction, providing loan guarantees or agreeing to buy power from the plant, Mayo Shattuck III, executive chairman of Chicago-based Exelon, said today at a conference in Washington.

Building reactors may require “the sovereign support of that state, which really means it’s on the backs of the ratepayers, not the backs of the shareholders,” Shattuck said at an event hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies...

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-04-11/state-help-needed-for-nuclear-units-exelon-chief-says-correct-.html