Progress ups Levy nuclear plant costs, delays start

Source: Reuters

* Levy to cost $17.2 billion to $22.5 billion
* First Levy unit to enter service in 2021
* Delay will postpone customer rate hikes

NEW YORK, May 6 (Reuters) - Progress Energy Inc (PGN.N) boosted the estimated cost of its proposed Levy nuclear power plant in Florida and delayed its start-up to 2021 due to a delay in licensing the reactors, a spokeswoman for the company said on Thursday.

The company estimates the project to build two 1,100 megawatts reactors at Levy about 130 miles (209 km) northwest of Orlando, would cost $17.2 billion to $22.5 billion -- up from its previous estimate of $17.2 billion.

The first reactor is now expected to enter service in 2021 with the second 18 months later. Progress originally estimated the first unit could enter service in 2016 but delayed that estimate by about 20 months a year ago.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN0611303620100506

---

Boondoggle. This thing won't come online for another decade at the earliest - billions of dollares tied up on construction while Progress Energy spews CO2 from its coal plants. The money would be better spent on efficiency and renewables, making immediate reductions in CO2 emissions. This plant should be canceled.

Cooper cost graph


Cooper A Multi-dimensional View of Alternatives



Summary of Cooper paper here.
http://www.olino.org/us/articles/2009/11/26/the-economics-of-nuclear-reactors-renaissance-or-relapse

Jacobson table Global Renewable Energy Resources

I just noticed that in the related discussion in the Environment/Energy forum,
some of the pro-nukes are no longer disputing these cost estimates.
Link to the E/E discussion thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=115x246050

when people get serious about building reactors they work just fine.

not done by technical or any other reason then to generate, well, delay.

:D