Green River nuclear plant plan takes small step forward
by Ron Georg, contributing writer
3 years ago | 795 views | 0 0 comments | 6 6 recommendations | email to a friend | print
    So far, no one has been able to track any land deals or water acquisition that would support the construction of a nuclear power plant near Green River, but Transition Power, the company fronted by Utah State Rep. Aaron Tilton, has put the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on notice that they do intend to apply for a site permit in 2010.

    The NRC's website indicates that: "By letter dated Jan. 30, 2008, Transition Power Development, LLC notified the NRC of its intent to submit an early site permit application and/or a combined license (COL) application for two nuclear units by April 2010. The applicant indicated that the two units will be part of the Blue Castle Generation Project, to be located in East-Central Utah."

    Blue Castle is a geological feature at the south end of the Book Cliffs, which would lend credence to speculation that one option for the plant's site could be in an industrial park proposed by Emery County. That park would also be home to a uranium mill. However, while representatives of the uranium mill have expressed interest in the site, Transition Power has not been so specific.

    The letter of intent is not an application, and it doesn't guarantee Transition a place in the application process, according to Sarah Fields, who monitors nuclear issues as program director of Uranium Watch, an offshoot of the Living Rivers organization. "All it does is let the NRC know they are submitting an application so the NRC can prepare the staff and resources to process the application," she said.

    Fields noted that one principal of Transition Power is Nils Diaz, former chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Diaz may be able to help guide Transition through the regulatory maze leading to a nuclear plant's approval, but no new plant has been built in this county since the late 1970s, despite a recent surge in applications.

    One of the major hurdles to a local plant will be water. Nuclear plants require huge amounts of water for cooling, and there are already growing local demands for Green River water, not to mention downstream commitments.

    Fields suggests the complexity and expense of building a nuclear plant put the project outside the grasp of all but the largest players ‒ which would exclude Transition.

    "I think it's crazy," she said, "But I still have to follow it because they could build a strong enough proposal to attract outside interest."

    Uranium Watch will continue to monitor the application process through their website, www.uraniumwatch.org.
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