Why – when there are cheaper and safer ways to create energy for Virginia in the near term – does Dominion Virginia Power continue to push for its North Anna 3 nuclear power plant? It’s all about the money, frankly, and I was pleased to learn that the Virginia Citizens Consumer Council (VCCC) has filed a petition for formal approval from the Virginia SCC before it can continue building the plant.
The VCCC petition states: “At an estimated total cost of at least $19.2 billion, North Anna 3 would be the most expensive power plant ever built in the United States and could raise customers’ rates by 26 percent or more according to the Virginia Attorney General. While Dominion claims that North Anna 3 is needed for compliance with the federal Clean Power Plan, it would be far costlier than the low-carbon alternative of combined renewables, demand-side management, and efficiency … Dominion has not complied with Virginia law by failing to seek SCC approval before making expenditures on project development and beginning preliminary construction of North Anna 3.”
I agree with VCCC President Irene Leech’s assessment that the construction of North Anna 3 “is a huge raid on the pocketbooks of Virginia consumers and businesses.” In fact, I think the SCC should not allow Dominion any development costs at all for North Anna 3. There are cheaper, safer and more expedient alternatives available to our Commonwealth and ratepayers, including solar energy that Dominion should be focusing on to provide low-carbon electricity and lower rates much sooner than we will ever see from North Anna 3.
Dr. Mark Cooper, senior fellow for economic analysis for the Institute for Energy and the Environment at Vermont Law School, called North Anna 3 “abysmally wasteful and unnecessary,” in formal comments on behalf of the VCCC. He concluded that North Anna 3 “would cost twice as much as solar to generate the same amount of energy, fatten profits for shareholders by inflating Virginia ratepayer bills by up to 36 percent (reflecting $6-12 billion in unnecessary costs).”
Please support the VCCC’s effort to stop Dominion from proceeding with North Anna 3:
Contact Mark Herring, Office of the Attorney General: (804) 786-2071, or file a complaint with the AoG’s Consumer Protection Office: http://ag.virginia.gov/citizen-resources/consumer-protection
Contact the Virginia State Corporation Commission: Energy Regulation: Electric, Gas, Water & Sewer: 804-371-9611
Virginia Citizens Consumer Council: https://www.facebook.com/Virginia-Citizens-Consumer-Council-236174056404968/?fref=ts
