UPDATED: CEO from the Del Electric Co-op Bill Andrew Pimping Nuclear With Help From Harris McDowell
Have you been wondering why everyone is a buzz over nuclear power all of a sudden?
This is a bit patched together, but stick with it to the end.
Old Dominion Electric Cooperative (ODEC) has an 11% ownership interest in Dominion Electric (VA)’s nuclear facility located at Lake Anna VA and happens to be the major electric co-operative that Delmarva Power signed up to take part in it’s “On Shore Wind Power” ruse a few months back.
Dominion Electric has applied to FERC for approval to build a fourth nuclear reactor at Lake Anna thereby increasing the value of ODEC’s 11% stake.
Constellation Energy (one of the WINNING Delmarva bidders for their most recent round of 3 year contracts that comes in at same price, or thereabouts, as BWW) is building out the Calvert Cliffs nuclear plant in MD to serve Lewes and other parts of Sussex County. The Blue Water Wind project would knock a huge whole in the demand side of their pretext for building both the reactor and the transmission lines.
Pepco would own the MAPP transmission lines. These three entities (Pepco, DEC and Constellation) have to try to kill BWW at all costs, or the MAPP project could become a conduit when BWW expands and wants to send excess power east to west, to DC (which is Pepco’s service area and corporate headquarters). Get rid of BWW and the MAPP project proceeds as originally intended – to keep DE dependent on out-of-state fuel.
Check out who is on the Project Overview for Pepco’s MAPP project website, touting it as great for Delmarva Power customers:
Yep.
Delaware State Senator Harris B. McDowell, III
Chair, Energy and Transit Committee
Shocking!
Meanwhile, the evidence shows conclusively that BWW is an excellent financial deal for Delmarva SOS customers.
Note: I wish I had the resources of a newspaper so I could rip every member of this cabal a new anus . Short of having the resources of a newspaper, I wish this state had a decent newspaper.
UPDATED: for clarity 5:45pm
You really have done a great job on this story, even if it is extremely disappointing.
Here is the basic dynamic. If BWW gets built BWW makes some money and the people of Delaware get a great energy deal.
If BWW fails to get built Pepco, Delmarva Power, Constelation Energy, DEC, and Harris McDowel make HUGE money and the people of Delaware get screwed.
I’m not optimistic about the BWW deal getting done.
Politically speaking, we play the cards dealt. Basically, that means looking up the key players at Pepco and Delmarva Power (the Board Members and operating officers) and put their lives, their kids lives, their friends lives on the blog. And of course, we should be fair about it.
Dis, AMEN!
You’ve just GOT to throw Copeland in there, despite the evidence, don’t you?
I’m still not quite getting what his pay-off is. Maybe you can ask him for me?
updated.
Probably because there isn’t one, outside of him trying to protect his Delmarva-paying constituents from being forced to foot the bill for the farm all by themselves.
Please.
Does anyone have any contacts at the Washing Post by any chance?
I think this is getting to the point of being a big time story that a big time newspaper would be better moving forward. Plus with Maryland and Virginia in the picture it is a local story for them now.
I know someone at Kiplinger. Does that help?
Oops! He’s based in DC and use to write for Congressional Quarterly.
France has 82% Atomic power with out any problems The us Navy has never had an accident in their Atomic fleet. Let’s see those cooling towers and take a big bite out of those Arabs who use our purchase of oil against us. All those dollars going out each day to them
Nuclear is trying to rebrand itself as a “green” energy.
Too bad the byproduct is deadly to humans and other living things for 4.5 billion years.
hard right,
you forgot to mention the discharge from those navy boats and submarines. YUMMY, nothing like a little cooling water being dumped into the ocean on a mid summer night….
how lovely
Geez, Jason, you have really been kicking butt & taking names lately.
The reason why the NJ hasn’t picked up on your stuff because it isn’t sufficiently 8th grade enough ( a NJ reporter told me the articles are supposed to be written at the 8th grade level).
Have you considered sending it to all of DE’s Legs?
France has 82% Atomic power with out any problems The us Navy has never had an accident in their Atomic fleet.
These are the two most successful nuclear programs in the world, and they are based on one thing — one reactor design. If you want to build a plant in France, they tell you what reactor to build — greatly reducing much of the design, construction, operation and decommissioning risk. They (as well as the Navy) know what to expect at pretty much every operational stage AND regulators are involved in a more planned way.
An American nuclear industry won’t do this (even if it is in the long run incredibly cheaper) and will rely on taxpayer subsidy to offset the kind of risks that pretty much sunk a bunch of reactors in the 60s and 70s.
This may be a silly question, but is what McDowell doing within the Senate ethics rules?
I came across this article while doing some digging today. I wonder if they would be interested in doing a follow up story?
Also, here is an interesting quote at the end of a slobbering article on French Nukes:
In complete fairness, the article not only covers Cassandras assertion as well as the other huge advantages that the French have over us in the realm. I am all in favor of Nukes if we can figure out how to deal with the waste.
BTW, I love that these Nuke guys have to run to the the French for help.
Cassandra
I don’t know if Sen. McDowell is within the ethics rules, but you could ask the members of the Senate Ethics Committee. They are Harris Delmarva Power toady McDowell (D), Thurman desk drawer Adams (D), Anthony i wanna Ba* DeLuca (D), Charlie Delmarva Power #2 toady Copeland (R), Patricia Blevins (D) and Liane Sorenson (R). Upstanding persons who would be more than happy to pursue complaints with vigor.
A freakin’ revolution is coming.
This may be a silly question, but is what McDowell doing within the Senate ethics rules?
Not silly because the answer is a two-parter.
It is clearly a breech of Senate ethics rules for McDowell to lobbying for Delmarva Power et al in this way while a sitting member of the state senate.
However, only another Senator has the power to call for the ethics rules to be enforced.
I’m not holding my breath.
Ooops! Check that.
The public Integrity Committe can investigate if thye recieve a complaint.
Link
Here are the codes of conduct which I think apply:
§5805
(b) Restrictions on representing another’s interest before the state.
(2) No state officer may represent or otherwise assist any private enterprise with respect to any matter before the State.
The law speaks plainly. And here…
§5806. Code of conduct.
(a) Each state employee, state officer and honorary state official shall endeavor to pursue a course of conduct which will not raise suspicion among the public that he is engaging in acts which are in violation of his public trust and which will not reflect unfavorably upon the State and its government.
McDowell’s conduct brings the state into disrepute. and this a little tougher to prove – but provable…
c) No state employee, state officer, or honorary state official shall acquire a financial
interest in any private enterprise which he has reason to believe may be directly involved
in decisions to be made by him in an official capacity on behalf of the State.
HP probably knows better than I. So I guess I’m back to my earlier comment (23) that it would go to the Senate ethics comittee.
J – I know someone at Bloomberg (really, I do) and I happen to be graduating with her on Saturday from Clown College…I mean from college. How’d that slip in there? Anyway, I do not know if this is something she can follow up with, but hey, if I try, the worse that can happen is she says, “sorry, bud.”
Shall I kick the link to her?
Am I going to owe you something? I told you I don’t give other dudes foots massages.
Sure.
Do it, it can’t hurt.
I told you I don’t give other dudes foots massages.
…must resist being total jack-hole…must…resist.
Dude, that is very hard not to add my touch to your very dangerous comment.
I will send this link along with your email address to her, in case she is interested or can forward on to someone else. What email should I send her, your work or the one for here?
Work.
If she knows you she will not be put off by the bs’ing in the comment section…
right…?
So I am wondering in the list of Senators (or as a group) if there are any decent pressure points — as in what effect might a public write-in campaign to ask for an investigation do? Or, maybe the write-in campaign ought to be to this Public Integrity Committee? With copies as LTE at the WNJ perhaps?
I’m so late getting here, that nobody will read this, but thanks for pulling on this thread. Soon the curtain hiding our legislature’s antics, will be truly “torn in two”.
Aside comment to Patrick in the News Journal who reads this: ” Hello…..Knock, Knock,…….do you still publish news……..or what?”
LG, the French do have a small but vocal group of nuclear objectors and are strengthened by the growing waste problem there. There is speculation (often rising to conspiracy theory) that one of the reasons that the French are in such a rush to market their technology is to have some leverage in some of these 2nd and 3rd world places to create waste repositories there.
Nuclear waste really is a problem and it would not be responsible to expand plants here until there was a solid management plan for the stuff.
If she knows you she will not be put off by the bs’ing in the comment section…
right…?
You were a case study in one of my classes. I need to reconcile THAT before she will act on anything! 🙂
Milbank@washingtonpost.com, marcus@washingtonpost.com!
There hasnt been a nuclear power plant built in 30 years! Leave it to McDowell and DPL?
Gee, I know Delaware is a chemical wasteland, but wanna add nuclear to it…maybe we can turn ole Delaware into a “holding” area for the worlds nuclear waste.
I sent it to her, J. I forwarded you a copy to your work. I included some background to hopefully garner initial interest.
Did you know that you are a transvestite? I figured it would help get you noticed.
If DP&L customers can’t afford to pay for a $1.6 billion dollar wind farm, how the Hell are they going to afford a $6 to $10 billion dollar nuke plant?
To dispose of nuclear waste, you must find a layer of hard, stable bedrock lying underneath a soft, pliable governor.
I’ll keep my eyes peeled. Delaware would be a terrible choice anyway. So we’ve got that going for us.
Wouldn’t it be great if an ourtside federal agency (not likely with Bush in office) or agovernment watchdog group looked into this. This is beyond politcal, it’s criminal.
hard right,
you forgot to mention the discharge from those navy boats and submarines. YUMMY, nothing like a little cooling water being dumped into the ocean on a mid summer night….
how lovely
What are you talking about ???
There is no coolant discharge in the water from a US Sub I know I served Primary Coolant is a closed loop system
The bigggest and really only problem is what to do when the Fuel is spent which is a big problem
Please at least stay focused on the problem really is not any imaginary ones
I just returned from testifying before the “learned” Gentlemen of PSE&G and the NRC (Last night Aprl.30th). to put a serious damper on their dream of a 4th reactor on Artificial Island on the Delaware river. Bad as it is
nuclear waste is no longer the Industries Achilles heel . Lack of water and the enormous cost , which the companies are trying to hide by devious means (some if them downright funny) is going to stop this “renaissance”.
The Associated Press, Jan. 23, 2008 LAKE NORMAN, N.C. — Nuclear reactors across the Southeast could be forced to throttle back or temporarily shut down later this year because drought is drying up the rivers and lakes that supply power plants with the awesome amounts of cooling water they need to operate. ….You can’t use salt water
The proclamation made here about the French nuclear program are way outdated. Among other problems France is now drowning in waste and is negation with Russia to take their waste. The cost of which they do not have to divulge since their electricity production is nationalized. The anti-nuclear movement in France is now is now the largest in Europe. If you would like to get on my weekly e mail list let me know frieda302@Comcast.net
Sample e mail sent this worning:
Here comes the future !
BrightSource to Build 500 Megawatts of Solar-Thermal Power in Mojave Desert
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 04. 2.08
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY (ALTERNATIVE ENERGY)
……..These first three plants will add up to 500 megawatts of capacity, but PG&E has also signed contracts for options on an additional 400 megawatts, which could bring the total to 900………. The first of these solar power plants, sized at 100 MW in Ivanpah, California, could be operating as early as 2011 and is expected to produce 246,000 megawatt hours of renewable electricity per year. BrightSource will build and place in commercial operation each of its plants as quickly as permitting and infrastructure allow….
. No Recession for Wind Power Industry
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 03.31.08
BUSINESS & POLITICS
Many industries are currently worried about their short to medium-term prospects. Not the wind power industry, apparently. The Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) forecasts a 155% growth, with installed capacity reaching 240 gigawatts by 2012.
Part of the optimism is due to the fact that both the U.S. and Chinese markets for wind power are growing faster than was expected only a year ago,
The forecast for annual installation is also promising. By 2012, Asia (led by China) is expected to be #1 with 12.5 gigawatt/year, with North-America in #2 at 10.5 gigawatt/year and Europe #3 with 10.3 gigawatt/year………
Wind Power Is Spain’s Top Energy Source This Week
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 03.21.07
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY (ALTERNATIVE ENERGY)
Taking advantage of a particularly gusty period, Spain’s wind energy generators this week reached an all-time high in electricity production, exceeding power generated by any other source, the nation’s electricity network authority said in a statement. Wind power generation rose to contribute 27 per cent of the country’s total power requirement………
Here is the Past, still trying to hold on
Last nights NRC hearing on the “Safety” of Salem and Hope Creek. PSE&G did not deny their dream of 4th reactor on Artificial Island.
Yes, they ARE planning to file for license extension for Salem. (Extensions are usually granted for another 20 years. None have been denied so far)
We were allowed ample time to speak, more on that later, it takes me about 2 days to calm down.
The meeting was something for the story books. 5 Official from PSE&G and five representing the NRC made a presentation, complete with slideshow for almost an hour and 30 min. If there is such a thing as a “Mutual Admiration Society” I saw sample of what their meetings must sound like.
Thanks for the PSE&G update Frieda. I had not considered that water/drought issue with respect to nuclear.
PEPCO is fully on board with Bushies bringing more WV coal and [GE’s?] nukes online with federal dollars.
We need federal dollars to funnel into off shore wind for DE. Where are you Biden, Carper, Castle? Where have these US reps been this last year to fight for an energy policy that reflects alternative and sustainable energy?