Georgia Judge Rules Against 2 Controversial Nuclear Reactors

[bananas]

:applause:

http://solveclimate.com/blog/20100503/georgia-judge-rules-against-2-controversial-nuclear-reactors

Georgia Judge Rules Against 2 Controversial Nuclear Reactors
Too Premature to Talk of Ruling's Impact, Says Public Service Commission
by Stacy Feldman - May 3rd, 2010

A judge in Fulton County, Georgia ruled on Friday that the state public service commission illegally certified two costly and allegedly faulty nuclear reactors. The ruling could be a setback for attempts to build America's first atomic power plant in 30 years.

The judge, Wendy Shoob of Fulton County Superior Court, said the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) did not provide enough facts to warrant its approval of the project last March. The unexpected ruling from the bench even caught Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, the environmental group that filed the lawsuit, by surprise.

"This certainly is a snafu that was not expected," said Sara Barczak, a program director and nuclear specialist with the Knoxville, Tenn.–based SACE.

According to SACE, the near-certain approval of the reactors is "now in jeopardy."

The ruling "puts into question the certification process that happened last year," Barczak told SolveClimate. Whether it determines the project's long-term fate, however, is "still up in the air," she added.

Bill Edge, spokesperson for the PSC, said he does not believe the project is in danger but cautioned it was too premature to draw conclusions before the written order is issued.

"(Judge Shoob) ruled from the bench, so there's no written order," Edge told SolveClimate. "Any solid comments are probably going to have to wait until we see the written order. Otherwise, it's pretty much speculation."

The date when the order will be issued is still unknown. But Barczak said it could be on a "fairly fast track."

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[RubyDuby in GA]

1. Color me shocked!

Go Judge Shoob! Go Judge Shoob! It's your birthday! It's your birthday! Wootwoot!!

:woohoo:

[starroute]

2. That's Georgia Power, of course -- these people

http://ipsnorthamerica.net/news.php?idnews=2958

Big Energy Firms Blocking Solar Power in South

ATLANTA, Georgia, 31 Mar (IPS) - As citizens, businesses and non-profit organisations seek to transition to cleaner power sources like solar and wind, some big energy firms whose business models rely on polluting sources are standing in the way.

In Georgia, the energy company Georgia Power has lobbied for favourable public policies at the Public Service Commission (PSC) and State legislature that are making it difficult for the state's residents to transition to solar power.

IPS learned that the Dekalb County school system wanted to put solar panels on their schools, but could not do it because of state policies like the Territorial Electric Service Act of 1973 which gives Georgia Power a monopoly over the purchase of energy. . . .

To be sure, Georgia Power is only following the regulations established by the legislature and PSC. However, they lobbied for those policies to be enacted in the first place.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

3. Have to wonder where the requriement to "provide enough facts to warrant its approval"

came from. Rarely if ever are regulatory boards required as a matter of law to support their decisions as part of the executive branch. I tend to believe this is media incompetence vice judicial error so the written decision will be key to understanding the basis for the ruling.

[Fledermaus]

4. Whatever happens, I'm sure it will turn into a money pit.

If we used as little power as europeans our nuclear power plants could provide 40% of our power instead of 20%....but I guss that would not make the nuclear power industry enough money.

[kristopher]

5. I hope this results in greater transparency in the process and the numbers.

Kick and rec.