ML083220369

Scoping Comments from Communities United for Responsible Energy (2)

ML083220369
Person / Time
Site:	Prairie Island
Issue date:	09/22/2008
From:	Communities United for Responsible Energy (CURE)
To:	Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
Download: ML083220369 (2)

Text

CURE Communities United for Responsible Energy PO Box 8 Frontenac, MN 55026 September 22, 2008 Comments in Response to XCEL Energys Application for Certificates of Need for Additional Dry Cask Storage and Extended Power Uprate at the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant Appendix D: Alternative Technologies Screening Preamble:

Communities United for Responsible Energy (CURE) is an association of citizens, established in 1996 in response to the selection of Florence Township, Goodhue County, MN as the location for an off-site Nuclear Spent Fuel Storage Facility. CURE members have studied the issues surrounding the operation of nuclear power plants for more than a decade.

The recent recognition that the world faces serious climate change and environmental disruptions chiefly due to the rapid infusion of fossil carbon into the earths atmosphere by human activities coupled with the need to replace an aged generation and distribution infrastructure poses a serious problem for planners, regulators and the electric generation industry. The decisions and choices made by a relatively few people in Minnesota within the next few years will have enormous impact on coming generations and the environment they will inhabit. Reduction of energy demand driven by a significant conservation ethic and dramatically increased product and system efficiencies are the essential component for reducing the impact of energy generation on the environment. Choosing the best bridge technologies to carry us through to the ultimate, truly clean renewable energy sources will be critical. The long lead times to build and high capital costs associated with nuclear power and clean coal/carbon sequestration technologies suggest that decisions to commit to such system my be overwhelmed by carbon tax regulations or simply non-availability of sufficient investment capital to complete a project. A better approach may be to combine shorter lead time existing renewable technologies with short lead time, high efficiency, natural gas fired equipment. This more nimble approach should allow a faster, more cost effective transition to verging energy generation and storage technologies avoiding the pitfalls of obsolete before completion stranded costs.

Proposal for Alternative Technology : Composite Resource Technology Southern and Southeastern Minnesota and the eastern bank of the Mississippi River have wind resources equal or better than most sites that have been developed in Northern Europe. The geography is very well suited to cluster installations of 3 to 10 utility scale wind turbines. These turbine clusters will soon have access to the transmission and distribution grid presently being upgraded in the area. The wind turbines are a logical match with contemporary combined cycle and/or combined heat/power turbines fueled with natural gas (from Canada and the mid-West US). Other niche technologies (solar, biofuel, methane digester, etc.) may be combined or integrated to the transitioning generation mix. Pumped hydro might be explored to augment peak -demand capacity.