Happy Tuesday!
It appears with the renewed
interest in nuclear the Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania will have a new life!
Did anyone see
The Houston Chronicle’s Business Section on September 21, 2024, they
reprinted an article from the Associated Press titled, “Microsoft power
deal spurs plan for Three Mile Island”?
In the article, it speaks about how a 20-year deal with Microsoft has Constellation
Energy getting Three Mile Island Power Plant Unit 1 out of mothballs to help
with powering data centers. The Three
Mile Island was mothballed about five years ago by Constellation Energy’s former
holding company due to it wasn’t profitable.
With the renewed interest in nuclear due to it having no carbon emissions
and it is reliable made Constellation Energy decide to restart the plant. The Three Mile Island is located on an island
near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in the Susquehanna River which is the south-central
part of the state. In the very late 70s,
it’s Unit 2 had a meltdown and was one of the most horrible of the nuclear accidents
in the U.S. It has been dismantled, decommissioned,
and has the parts buried in cement only the towers remain as a reminder. With America in the never-ending quest for more
power has made a rekindled interest in nuclear and the U.S.’s first nuclear
reactor in over 30 years was built and started in Georgia last summer called
Vogtle Unit 3 (please see our Blog in August 2023). Georgia’s Vogtle Unit 4 was
started this year, so check out our Blog in May. The issues with the new nuclear reactor are
the staggering cost which for Georgia’s was approximately $34 billion! Constellation Energy’s idea to restart and
restore Unit 1 should be a fraction of what the new reactors cost nonetheless
it will still be in the billions, if not more if it wasn’t well maintained. Constellation Energy anticipates about four
years to restart the unit and will be filing to extend their license to 2054 with
the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The restarting the Three Mile Island Power Plant
should reduce the bureaucracy a new plant would need do to by already having
the infrastructure and transmission lines in place. Prior to it being decommissioned Unit 1
produced 837 megawatts thus there should be enough power to help others in the
area. Nonetheless the project should
help us reach our carbon-free world! If you would like to read more of Associated
Press’ article, please click the link: New life proposed for Three Mile Island supplying power to Microsoft | AP News.
If you would
like help in looking into how to clean up your emissions and pollutants in the
transportation of your liquid product or see what’s beneath your feet, contact
us via the email in the blog and check out our ESC's website!
We hope you have a wonderful evening and a great week!
**Disclaimer: You may be charged a fee to read the Associated
Press’ article. **