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Democrat
Will Oppose State Senator Pruitt
Democratic
Candidate Stan Smilan Enters State Senate District-28 Race: Questions
Pruitt's reckless disregard for nuclear power risks
 Tuesday, April 25, 2006 -- JUPITER,
Fla. -- Senator Pruitt lives in Port St. Lucie near the 10-mile radius
Evacuation Zone surrounding the nuclear power plant - and apparently has
a reckless disregard of the elevated and uninsurable risks associated
with close proximity to the plant.
I question whether it’s prudent to allow Pruitt to be a decision maker
regarding the siting of another nuclear plant, possibly in the vicinity
of Lake Okeechobee - either in Martin County, St. Lucie County or Palm
Beach County.
I'll be running in state Senate District-28 on the Democratic line. The
Port St. Lucie nuclear power plant encompasses the entire area of
District-28 within a 35-mile radius -- that's also inside the Peak
Injury Zone which is the 50-mile radius around the plant.
At the moment there are no other candidates opposing the incumbent in
District-28.
On April 3-4 I attended a two day symposium, "Chernobyl at
Twenty," sponsored by the National Council on Radiation Protection.
The event was held in Arlington, VA. You can obtain the program with
abstracts at this link:
The afternoon session on the second day presented an industry evaluation
of future nuclear plant projects. There are fifteen new reactors being
contemplated for construction in the U.S. Reference was made to the use
of 'Fast Reactors' as the new design. It appears that the use of
plutonium in a multi oxide (MOX) form of the fuel is being contemplated.
If so it's a higher risk technology than the conventional reactors
presently being used.
One of these plants could conceivably be slated for South Florida around
Lake Okeechobee - that would put it in state Senate District-28.
Personally, I think there's a smarter strategy to ‘De-carbonize
electric production:
Co-generation furnishes 55% of Denmark's electric production. And, it's
97% percent fuel efficient; whereas, 40% of the heat (BTUs) goes up the
smokestack in a
conventional plant. That efficiency alone will significantly conserve
fuel and reduce greenhouse emissions.
During a Q&A opportunity at the symposium I asked if
"Decentralized" electric generation would be an economical and
environmentally better approach. The answer I received was that it would
require individual efforts by the 50-states' legislatures to dislodge
the "Legacy Utilities Centralized Generating Monopoly."
So, the argument I'll be making in District-28 is: that there are
smarter strategies and options - but the incumbent is merely catering to
the Florida Power and Light Company, despite the elevated risk and
target attractiveness of nuclear power in SE Florida.
Additionally, FPL is in the process of merging with the Baltimore based
'Constellation' energy group that is slated to get a 72% rate increase
in Maryland. Seems the object of the merger is to get into the wholesale
business with unregulated rates. Florida could have another Enron
lurking in the near future driving up electric rates. Its reported that
the merger will lower FPL's bond ratings.
By way of a side note on the pension issue: Constellation has $1.08
billion in pension assets against $1.56 pension obligations; whereas,
FPL has $2.9 billion in pension assets against 1.6 billion pension
obligations. Surely that over funding came from Florida ratepayers, and
quite possibly it will be converted in a merger, if the Constellation
Defined Benefit Plan gets absorbed into FPL's DBP.
Additionally, FPL just got 20-yr license extensions for Turkey Point and
St. Lucie; and they can use the projected earning streams to borrow
against for funding a proposed pipe line from the Bahamas for natural
gas for wholesale distribution throughout Constellation's franchise
area. 82% of Constellation's revenues are derived from wholesale
marketing of gas and electric.
Incidentally, Scripps could not guarantee retaining 545 employees in
Palm Beach County if - according to Doug Bingham, Scripps' COO
-"...there was some kind of a nuclear event down here...."
THE PROPOSED JUPITER SITE FOR SCRIPPS IS WITHIN THE 35-MILE RADIUS OF
ST. LUCIE.
Senator Pruitt lives barely outside the 10-mile radius - the Evacuation
Zone - and apparently has a reckless disregard of the elevated and
uninsurable risks associated with close proximity to the plant.
I question whether it’s prudent to allow Pruitt to be a decision maker
regarding the siting of another nuclear plant in the vicinity of Lake
Okeechobee - either in Martin County, St. Lucie County or Palm Beach
County.
In my opinion : The 20/yr license extensions at St. Lucie and Turkey
point will significantly impact future economic investment in South East
Florida. If companies exercise due diligence and accurately assess the
elevated risks they will be reluctant to put their assets at risk here.
The elected officials may have accommodated FPL by perpetuating FPL's
monopoly but they have hurt the other economic interests in the area.
The state has prerogatives to exercise in mitigating the dilemma. But,
Pruitt appears committed to serving only FPL's selfish interests and
subordinating the interests of the area's residents.
For
More Information On This Story Visit: www.stansmilan.com
smilan4flsenate@bellsouth.net
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