Entergy wants to keep nuclear option in Louisiana

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - Entergy Corp's Louisiana power companies filed with Louisiana utility regulators to continue early development activities for possible construction of a nuclear power plant at the River Bend site.

In a release, Entergy, of New Orleans, said it has not decided to build a new reactor but wanted to keep the option available to remain in the running for any federal incentives that may be available.

The U.S. Department of Energy, which can now distribute $18.5 billion in loan guarantees for new nuclear reactors, is seeking an additional $36 billion of funding.

Since 2007, energy companies have filed with the NRC to build more than 25 new reactors.

Entergy said the Louisiana utilities, which serve more than a million homes and businesses, need more baseload power from plants that operate around the clock like nuclear reactors.

In addition, new nuclear would allow Entergy to diversify generation resources away from natural gas, which provides about half of the electricity in Louisiana.

Entergy said existing nuclear units saved customers hundreds of millions of dollars in fuel costs and stabilized electricity costs when natural gas price spiked. Natural gas sold for over $13 per million British thermal unit during the summer of 2008 before dropping to below $3 during the autumn of 2009.

Unlike natural gas and other fossil fuels, nuclear plants produce no carbon dioxide, a valuable feature if the U.S. government slaps a price on carbon to fight global warming.

Entergy said a new plant could be built as soon as 2024. In 2008, Entergy filed with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to build a new General Electric Co/Hitachi Ltd 1,550 MW Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (ESBWR) at River Bend.

That unit might have cost about $6.2 billion based on an industry estimate of $4,000 per kilowatt, but Entergy and GE Hitachi could not come to terms, so Entergy asked the NRC to suspend its application.

Through January 31, Entergy said its Louisiana companies spent about $50.5 million in early nuclear development costs related to River Bend.

River Bend is located in St. Francisville in West Feliciana Parish about 24 miles north-northwest of Baton Rouge.

Related News

Nunavut's electricity price hike explained

Nunavut - Ahead of the Nunavut government's approval of the general rate increase for the Qulliq Energy Corporation, many Nunavummiut wondered how the change would impact their electricity bills.

QEC's request for a 6.6-per-cent increase was approved by the government last week. The increase will be spread out over two years, with the first increase (3.3 per cent) effective May 1, 2018. The remaining 3.3 per cent will be applied on April 1, 2019.

Public housing units, however, are exempt from the government's increase altogether.

The power corporation also asked for a territory-wide rate, so every community would pay the same base rate…

READ MORE
chester-county-landfill-converts-methane-to-renewable-gas

Chester County Landfill Converts Methane to Renewable Gas

READ MORE

duke solar customer

Duke Energy seeks changes in how solar owners are paid for electricity

READ MORE

renewables 2030 graph

U.S. Renewable and Clean Energy Industries Set Sights on Market Majority

READ MORE

typhoon radar image

Nearly 600 Hong Kong families still without electricity after power supply cut by Typhoon Mangkhut

READ MORE