Monday letters: Nuclear’s a good deal for SC, regardless of EPA decision

Mel Buckner is right that nuclear power has helped expand South Carolina’s economy, and the V.C. Summer plants 2 and 3 under construction will contribute to that (“Nuclear can drive growth,” May 11). While we hear a good bit about slippage in the schedule and some increase in cost for the new plants, these will fade from memory pretty quickly once the power starts flowing.

Outside of the market distortions of cheap natural gas, whose longevity is a real question, nuclear is remarkably cost-effective and reliable. A bump in the road for South Carolina, however, may be the soon-to-be-issued EPA regulations on carbon emissions, which treats nuclear amazingly unfairly. While states are required to reduce emissions with alternative sources, existing nuclear is discounted to only 6 percent of its real contribution, and that includes new plants under construction like Summer 2 and 3.

We can hope sanity will prevail at the EPA, but even if it does not, nuclear will continue to help power South Carolina as an environmentally wise source of electricity.

Professor and Chair, USC General Atomics Center

Columbia

This story was originally published May 23, 2015 at 7:11 PM.