-Caveat Lector- Other areas of the country besides California have tremendous energy problems. If the topography were flat, I could possibly see the towers of this nuclear plant. This is one of the reasons our electricity is so expensive in this area for Bellefonte has never produces the first kilowatt of electricity. Oh, we have had the fuel rods brought there and taken away and brought there and taken away but all for naught. Mid-construction, completion was delayed pending safety concerns and redesigns. By the time it as decided to complete this facility, under the watchful eye of the Clinton Administration, some 30 factories in the area had closed. There was no longer a need for the power it was to have produced with the closing of that many factories, practically all the industry in the area. This placed the people not only out of jobs but facing the cost of paying the $5 Billion invested in the plant that was mothballed. Ever eager to recover money, TVA has twice tried to turn it into a coal-gasification plant and then there is the Tritium threat below. Following that is an article on Senator Sessions wanting it to finally be completed. There was sufficient outcry concerning the production of Tritium locally that, hopefully, that will not happen but we locally will be the last to know. I fear it will be a combination of both. So why should you care? Well, you might for Sessions (see second article) is also proposing some sort of tax credit and reward for anybody who brings a new nuclear plant on line. He says 125 nuclear plants have been approved and only 103 are working. Maybe you, too, can have your very own Bellefonte. ~Amelia~ SJR7 By Senator(s) By Senator Barron Enrolled, SJR7, URGING THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND THE TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY TO EVALUATE THE FEASIBILITY OF IMPLEMENTING TRITIUM PRODUCING CAPABILITIES AT THE BELLEFONTE NUCLEAR PLANT. WHEREAS, this legislative body strongly endorses a thorough analysis of a proposed joint venture of the United States Department of Energy and the Tennessee Valley Authority to enable the Bellefonte Nuclear Plant to produce both tritium and electrical power; and WHEREAS, highly cognizant that the citizens of Alabama have always supported a strong national defense, as well as a safe environment, we think this unique multifaceted use of the Bellefonte Plant will ensure a reliable domestic source of tritium, a key triggering component in nuclear weapons, in an economically efficient and environmentally safe fashion; and WHEREAS, in addition to the impressive financial and national defense advantages, implementation of tritium making capabilities at the Bellefonte Plant would result in the employment of an additional 500 persons during the final phase of construction and would require the continued employment of numerous well-paid technicians; moreover, the Tennessee Valley Authority payments in lieu of taxes to the state once the plant is on line would produce an additional five million dollars, a significant financial gain that would provide an important economic stimulus to the Southeastern United States and North Alabama; and WHEREAS, this legislative body concludes that modifying the final phase of construction of the plant to allow the production of this critical component of our national defense is a wise and prudent approach to addressing vital military, energy, and conservation concerns, and the technical, environmental, and budgetary advantages should be thoroughly explored and closely considered; now therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA, BOTH HOUSES THEREOF CONCURRING, That the United States Department of Energy, the Tennessee Valley Authority, and other interested parties are encouraged to completely evaluate the possibilities of including tritium production capabilities at the Bellefonte Nuclear Plant. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be sent to the Secretary of the United States Department of Energy, the chief officer of the Tennessee Valley Authority, and each member of Alabama's U. S. Congressional Delegation so that each recipient may know of our continuing interest in this important program. Resolution, Legislative U. S. Department of Energy Tennessee Valley Authority President and Presiding Officer of the Senate Speaker of the House of Representatives McDowell Lee Secretary -------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ -------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ June 12, 2001 Sessions favors use of nuclear power By Dennis Sherer Staff Writer February 20, 2001 Email this story. U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions says he will introduce legislation aimed at encouraging the use of nuclear power to produce electricity. Photo by TimesDaily photographer Daniel Giles ATHENS -- Revitalizing the nuclear power industry could be America's answer to soaring energy prices and shortages of electricity, U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions said. Speaking at Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Sessions announced Monday he will introduce legislation aimed at encouraging the use of nuclear power to produce electricity. "Each year, the federal government grants tax incentives for the production of certain oil and gas reserves, solar cells, wind turbines and bio-mass energy sources. My plan would grant similar tax credits to anyone who brings a new nuclear power plant online," said Sessions, R-Ala. Sessions said he hopes the legislation will persuade Tennessee Valley Authority officials to restart the Unit 1 reactor at Browns Ferry and complete construction of Bellefonte Nuclear Plant near Scottsboro. Browns Ferry Unit 1 has been idle since 1985. It was shut down along with units 2 and 3 at the plant because of safety concerns. After extensive renovation, units 2 and 3 were restarted in 1991 and 1995, respectively. TVA spokesman Gil Francis said there are no immediate plans to restart the Unit 1 reactor. "We have always considered the feasibility of restarting Unit 1, but no decision has been made to proceed on that," Francis said. Sessions said TVA officials have told him they will restart Browns Ferry Unit 1 before completing Bellefonte. Construction at Bellefonte was halted in 1988 when the plant was 80 percent complete. TVA officials said the utility did not need the electricity it would produce. As work stopped at Bellefonte, many were questioning the safety of nuclear energy in the wake of an accident at Three Mile Island nuclear power plant near Harrisburg, Penn., in 1979. A combination of human and mechanical errors caused the cooling system for a reactor core at the Pennsylvania plant to fail. Scientists were able to prevent a meltdown of the reactor, but America's nuclear power industry was chastised. Sessions said much of the opposition to nuclear energy in the 1980s has waned. "Three Mile Island terrified everybody, and nobody would support nuclear power for a long time," Sessions said. "But I think Americans are now supportive of nuclear power. Our utilities have proven they can operate nuclear plants safely." In addition, the cost of using oil or natural gas to fire power plant boilers has risen dramatically and environmental groups are decrying air pollution from coal-fired plants. One problem with nuclear power plants has been disposing of radioactive wastes, Sessions said. He said he is confident that problem will be solved by creating a storage facility in an uninhabited region of Nevada. "We've got deserts in Nevada that the Lord created for storing this stuff," Sessions said. Another option is following France's lead in recycling the waste into fuel for nuclear plants, he said. Radioactive waste at Browns Ferry is stored in water-filled pits at the facility on the banks of the Tennessee River in west Limestone County, said plant Manager Ashok Bhatnagar. Sessions said the timing is perfect to revisit increasing the use of nuclear power in America. Of 130 nuclear plants that have been approved by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, only 105 are operating, Sessions said. By bringing the other 25 plants into operation, America's capacity to produce electricity could be increased significantly, he said. The average nuclear power plant reactor produces enough electricity to light 200,000 homes. About 20 percent of the United States' electrical power is produced with nuclear energy, Sessions said. In France, 80 percent of electricity comes from nuclear plants, he said. Increasing the amount of electricity produced at nuclear plants would lessen the need to use coal-fired facilities, which would reduce air pollution, Sessions said. In addition to ensuring that TVA has enough electricity to meet power demands, Sessions said restarting the Browns Ferry reactor and completing Bellefonte would provide thousands of high-paying jobs in north Alabama. Sessions said completing Bellefonte would create 1,000 to 1,500 jobs. Bhatnager said restarting Unit 1 would create about 300 jobs at the plant. About 950 people now work there. As many as 2,000 workers would be needed to refurbish Unit 1 to prepare it for restart. Bhatnagar said it would take about five years to prepare the unit once the decision is made. "We appreciate what Sen. Sessions is doing, but we have not made any decision on restarting Unit 1, and we are not sure when we will be making that decision," he said. TVA is seeking 20-year extensions of the operating licenses for its reactors at Browns Ferry. The process includes a public hearing March 6 at Calhoun Community College in Decatur to gather comments on the potential environmental impact of extending the operating licenses. Rogersville Mayor Harold Chandler said restarting the Browns Ferry reactor would boost the economy of the Shoals. "There would be a lot of jobs created by the restart. Those jobs would be really good jobs, the kind we need around here," Chandler said. Dennis Sherer can be reached at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or 740-5746. Copyright © 2001 TimesDaily | Privacy Statement <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! 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