http://wfae.org/post/duke-cancels-florida-nuclear-project-plans-solar-expansion
[Like coal before it, nuclear generation is now a dead-man-walking
generation source. Solar and wind power, coupled with pumped, battery
and hydro reservoir storage make for a less expensive, more reliable and
climate-friendly option. Which leaves coal, nuclear and natural gas 0
for 3 on these key criteria.]
Duke Cancels Florida Nuclear Project, Plans Solar Expansion
By David Boraks • Aug 29, 2017
For the second time in a week, Duke Energy has canceled a planned
nuclear project. Duke said Tuesday it's dropping plans to build the
proposed Levy Nuclear Plant on Florida's Gulf Coast. That's after it
canceled plans for the W.S. Lee nuclear plant in South Carolina last Friday.
The company had won federal construction and operating licenses for both
plants in late 2016, though it had not started construction.
Spokeswoman Ann Marie Varga said up until last year, Duke considered
Levy a viable option. But that was before the project's lead contractor,
Westinghouse, filed for bankruptcy, and troubles surfaced at other projects.
"As a result of the Toshiba-Westinghouse bankruptcy, Westinghouse and
Toshiba will no longer construct and support new nuclear projects such
as Levy," Varga said.
Varga says cost overruns and delays at two other Westinghouse projects
in South Carolina and Georgia and slowing energy demand also were factors.
As part of Tuesday's announcement, Duke unveiled plans to spend $6
billion in Florida - building solar farms, installing electric vehicle
charging stations, and improving the electric grid. That came as part of
a rate agreement with regulators, customers and environmental groups.
Duke said customers won't pay any more for the canceled Levy project.
The company will swallow about $150 million in costs not already
recovered through rates. As part of the agreement, it's reducing rates
slightly in the short term. The company says with the Levy project
canceled, Florida customer rates will likely rise 1 to 3 percent a year
between 2019-2021
Duke plans to add 700 megawatts of new solar plants in the next four
years. The first of those projects will be a 74.9-megawatt plant in
Hamilton County - its largest to date in Florida. The company has five
existing solar projects in the state.
In addition, Duke pledges to build 500 electric vehicle charging
stations around the state. And it will install up to 50 megawatts of
battery storage.
With the Levy project's cancellation, Duke now has no new nuclear
projects in planning. It operates six plants in the Carolinas, which
supply about half the electricity in the two states.