New ANS President Responds to Fort Calhoun Nuclear Plant Closing

The Omaha (Nebraska) Public Power District (OPPD) Board of Directors today announced that it will cease nuclear operations and begin the decommissioning process at its Fort Calhoun Station (FCS) by the end of 2016.

In a press statement, OPPD indicated that “market conditions are a major factor in today’s decision by the board. Historically low natural gas prices are a contributing factor; they reduce OPPD’s cost to generate electricity using natural gas. In addition, consumers are using less energy.”

The OPPD board also indicated that the final version of the proposed Clean Power Plan is another factor in their decision, as it does not give carbon-free generation credit for existing nuclear plants.

“It is time for our policymakers to act to protect our nation’s nuclear power plants from further closures,” said ANS President Andrew Klein. “With every closure we lose valuable low-carbon energy that will make it impossible to reach not only U.S. Clean Power Plan goals, but also international carbon reduction targets,” he noted, adding, “The American Nuclear Society is working to educate state and federal policymakers about the significant value of nuclear plants in providing safe, reliable, affordable low-carbon energy.”

One of the most visible ANS efforts is the Nuclear in the States program. ANS released an updated version of its Nuclear in the States Toolkit (2.0) at its Annual Meeting in New Orleans, La, on June 15, 2016. “ANS members are moving quickly to get these tools into the right hands on the state level to assist policymakers in understanding the options available to them that would prevent further nuclear plant closings,” Klein explained.