This week the S.C., Chapter of the Sierra Club delivered a letter to Senator Lindsey Graham calling for a review of Graham's endorsement of nuclear power as a "homegrown solution" to climate change or our energy needs. Around the country, other chapters are contacting their Senators with similar letters, decrying President Obama's plan to give billions of taxpayer dollars to an economically unreliable industry with a long history of defaulting on loans, putting the taxpayers completely at risk.
New nuclear power plants are proving to be more expensive than any cap and trade plans, and more expensive than any other forms of energy, especially energy efficiency, offshore wind and even solar. Recently S.C. Electric Cooperative Director Mike Couick cited new nuclear electricity as being near .30 per kilowatt. At this rate, many lower income families will not be able to afford electrcity.
The S.C. Chapter believes taxpayer money should not be used to prop up a mature, 50 year old industry like nuclear, it should be made to stand on its on free market legs. If it can't compete, then other technologies that don't require massive risky taxpayer underwriting will flourish, providing jobs for South Carolinians and energy for our state. Sen. Graham mistakenly identifies nuclear as "homegrown" without explaining that most of the uranium used in U.S. reactors comes from Russia and other foreign countries, and that no major reactor components are made in this country. Reactor parts must be ordered from Japan, Korea , Italy and other foreign countries, sending U.S. dollars out of our economy, for a minimal number of jobs in return here.
Real homegrown U.S. technologies like the wind turbines being made at the U.S. based G.E. plant in Greenville, are being ignored, despite national estimates that wind has enormous unlimited ability to power our country. (
See article.)
If you too feel that asking ratepayers and taxpayers to foot the bill and take the risk for this industry that has a 50% default rate, we urge you to call your local Sen. Graham office and let him know you oppose his position on new nuclear.
Nuclear Energy 
