ADVISORY: Public Interest Group Representatives to Attend April 12 Briefing by SCE&G to South Carolina Public Service Commission on Reactor Project Financial Meltdown
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sarah Gilliam, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, 865-235-1448, sgilliam@cleanenergy.org
Columbia, SC — The crisis surrounding the mismanaged nuclear reactor construction project by South Carolina Electric & Gas (SCE&G) has deepened over the past two weeks with the declaration of bankruptcy by Westinghouse, the vendor of the AP1000 experimental reactors under construction at the V.C. Summer site. The SCE&G project – as well as a twin project by Georgia Power at Plant Vogtle – face further cost overruns, schedule delays and technical problems. Both projects teeter on the verge of termination and, due to unjust laws in South Carolina and Georgia, ratepayers stand to bear the financial brunt of the mismanaged projects if they continue or are terminated.
What: In order to inform the South Carolina Public Service Commission (PSC) of some aspects of the status of the crisis, SCE&G will brief the PSC on April 12, 2:30-4:30 p.m. EDT. Though Commissioners can ask questions, there will be no cross examination by other parties and an absence of key documents submitted for the record, underscoring the need for formal hearings on the situation that are open to the public and transparent.
When: SCE&G “ex parte” briefing to be held Wednesday, April 12, 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. EDT. Public interest group representatives will be available beginning at 2:00 p.m. Find the briefing notice posted by PSC here.
Who: Representatives of three key public interest groups – Savannah River Site Watch, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE) and the South Carolina Chapter of the Sierra Club – will be in attendance and will be able to present to media a full picture about the crisis and options that need to be addressed. All three groups – involved since the start of the V.C. Summer and Vogtle projects more than a decade ago – have repeatedly warned about the risks of cost overruns and delays and are calling for decision-makers to be held accountable for ignoring warning signs. Find a recent SACE telepresser that outlined group concerns given the bankruptcy filing here.
Where: South Carolina PSC, Columbia, near I-20 and I-26 intersection, find directions here.
Contact Information for Public Interest Group Representatives:
Tom Clements, SRS Watch, cell 803-240-7268, tomclements329@cs.com
Sara Barczak, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE), cell 912-201-0354, sara@cleanenergy.org
Bob Guild, Conservation Chair & lawyer for South Carolina Chapter of the Sierra Club, cell 803-917-5738
Note: In a filing in a new SC PSC docket – 2017-99-E – SCE&G opposed a request for an “emergency hearing” by Tom Clements on the crisis but stated which SCE&G officials would present at the “ex parte” briefing on April 12 and presented some issues to be discussed: https://dms.psc.sc.gov/Attachments/Matter/d91a300f-d618-4609-96ed-4c99c66a6600.
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