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An advocacy group will ask the state Supreme Court to reject aregulatory decision that would allow Florida Power & Light andProgress Energy Florida to collect about $282 million fromcustomers next year for nuclear-power projects. The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy has notified the statePublic Service Commission that it's taking the unusual step ofappealing an order that allows the utilities to collect money forwork on future or existing nuclear plants. The dispute centers on FPL and Progress billing customers forupfront costs on four planned nuclear reactors that would not startproducing electricity for at least another decade -- and, criticssay, might never produce electricity. Stephen A. Smith, executive director of the Southern Alliance forClean Energy, said consumers are getting hit with costs for"imaginary nuclear plants" and that the Public Service Commissionis not properly carrying out a 2006 law. "It's a scam,' Smith said. "It's an absolute scam of monumentalproportions.' The 2006 law, which was designed to encourage development ofnuclear power, has long been controversial because it allowsutilities to collect money far in advance of plants beingcompleted. FPL has proposed building two nuclear reactors at itsTurkey Point complex in Miami-Dade County, while Progress plans tobuild two reactors in Levy County. Each year, utilities seek to pass along costs for such expenses asplanning and permitting through a process known as "nuclear costrecovery.' Those costs are a relatively small portion ofcustomers' overall monthly electric bills, which also include baserates and costs of such needs as power-plant fuel. After holding hearings, the Public Service Commission in Octoberapproved allowing FPL to collect $196 million in nuclear-costrecovery from customers in 2012 and Progress to collect nearly $86million. That decision was finalized Nov. 23. While the future reactors have spurred the controversy, most of themoney FPL would collect in 2012 would help finance upgrades atnuclear plants in Miami-Dade and St. Lucie counties. FPL spokesman Neil Nissan issued a statement that said regulatorsfound his company's costs were "prudently incurred" and that costprojections were sound. "The commission made its findings after a full and fair evidentiaryhearing where all parties, including SACE (the Southern Alliancefor Clean Energy), were represented by counsel and had anopportunity to submit evidence and cross-examine witnesses,' thestatement said. The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, which is active in fiveSoutheastern states, works on issues such as increasing the use ofrenewable energy and improving energy efficiency. It opposesexpansion of nuclear power. During this fall's hearings, attorneys for the Southern Alliancefor Clean Energy, consumers and major power users questionedwhether the utilities will ever build the multibillion-dollarnuclear plants. Smith said a key issue in the appeal will center on whether theutilities want to collect the money next year to maintain the"option" of building the nuclear reactors. He said the Public Service Commission didn't properly apply the2006 law and that utilities should be required to show they intendto build the plants. He said the commission "appears to be makingup the rules as they go on how to interpret the law.' In the Nov. 23 order, the commission acknowledged the concerns ofopponents, but it said the utilities had shown evidence of planningto build the nuclear plants. "We find that PEF's actions continue to demonstrate its intent tobuild the (Levy nuclear project),' the order says in one sectionabout Progress Energy Florida. I am an expert from rf-cardlock.com, while we provides the quality product, such as Intelligent Door Lock , China Digital Keypad Door Lock, Hotel Card Locks,and more.
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