Group: TVA estimate for nuclear plans is low; Documents say cost would near $22 billion

[bananas]

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20081218/NEWS01/812180360/1006

Group: TVA estimate for nuclear plans is low
Documents say cost would near $22 billion

By Anne Paine • THE TENNESSEAN • December 18, 2008


TVA's estimate to build two nuclear reactors at its Bellefonte site in northern Alabama is "grossly inaccurate," says a group that filed a new challenge Monday to the agency's request for a nuclear power plant license.

A cost of $22 billion would be closer than the $9.9 billion to $17.5 billion industry range the Tennessee Valley Authority quotes in recent documents, said Louis Zeller with the North Carolina-based Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League.

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A year ago, TVA gave much lower estimates in documents filed with the NRC, which Blue Ridge and others had disputed. Last month, the agency came out with higher estimates, but Zeller said they still are far below what consumers should expect.

"They're admitting a year later that it's going to cost a lot more than it originally thought, but their analysis is still skewed to make nuclear come out on top," Zeller said.

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[exboyfil]

1. Wow even a $10B o $18B spread is huge before the project even begins

Why is it that every government project is this way? Remember the Big Dig in Boston - it started out at $2.2B and the latest projection is $22B (what is a decimel place among friends).

I think government pensions should be on the hook for the administrators responsible for budgeting these programs at the least. There appears to be no accountability in the process.

Until we find a place for the nuclear waste, I can't imagine building new nuclear reactors. We also need to be reprocessing right now to reduce the waste and the amount of uranium which is required.