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"The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has made available to the public an Early Site Permit (ESP) application for the Victoria County site near Victoria, Texas. The applicant, Exelon, submitted the application and associated information on March 25. The application, minus proprietary and security-related details, is available on the NRC Web site at: http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-reactors/esp/victoria.html. Exelon's ESP application seeks resolution of safety and environmental issues for the site, approximately 13 miles south of Victoria. The NRC staff is currently conducting an initial check of the application to determine whether it contains sufficient information required for a formal review. If the application passes the initial check, the NRC will "docket," or accept it for review; this decision is expected by late May. If the application is accepted, the NRC will then announce an opportunity for the public to request an adjudicatory hearing on the application. More information about"

Earlier this year, the San Antonio City Council adopted a vision to make the Alamo City one of the greenest cities in America. The "Mission Verde" plan envisioned solar panels on every rooftop, high efficiency homes that helped lower electric bills, and good-paying local jobs created to make all this happen. But CPS Energy has a different vision. While making some encouraging investments in clean energy, the utility's primary energy strategy continues to focus on polluting, unsustainable energy sources. They've just built a new coal-fired power plant, and now they want to invest in two new expensive and dirty nuclear reactors that San Antonio doesn't need. CPS claims that building the new nuclear reactors - at an eye-popping price of $5.2 billion - won't compromise San Antonio's ability to also develop clean sources of energy. But that claim doesn't hold water.

This small alert from Moody's Investor Service has been making the rounds these past two weeks. So we'd be remiss if we didn't throw it out there with schmear o' analysis. The "special comment" issued last month is pretty plain. Moody's analysts found that the construction of nuclear-power plants represents a huge financial gamble - a "bet the farm" proposition - that proceeds only at the whim of innumerable political factors over a lengthy time line.

Sitting in on Mayor Julián Castro's town hall meeting Monday evening felt like watching some old movie in which you know all the lines by heart. It probably served some purpose on the front end - forcing CPS Energy officials to realize that their proposal for a $5.2 billion investment in two nuclear plants falls well short of a sure thing - but it didn't seem to shift opinions around much. Still, with all the talk about how the Big Decision will affect our grandchildren, it was easy to wonder which question will appear most prescient decades from now. Perhaps it will be the handwritten, photocopied 'No Nuclear Energy!' sheet passed out at the front door, on which a man named Ray Davidson Hillman guaranteed that if all North American nuclear plants are not shut down soon, the planet won't support life in one or two hundred years. If he's right, of course, no one will be around to realize how smart he was.

There's no way the nation can meet its future appetite for energy and fight climate change without significantly expanding its supply of nuclear reactors, former Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christine Todd Whitman told several audiences in San Antonio on Wednesday. "You cannot have a growing, thriving economy if you are subject to brownouts and blackouts," Whitman told the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

When NRG Energy submitted its application to the federal government to build two new nuclear power plants in this coastal town, it didn't account for the possibility the plant could be rammed by a large passenger jet. As of March, planning for such a horrendous event is required for new nuclear reactors. The fact that it was left out of the initial application is among 28 objections being voiced by a coalition of local residents and Austin-based environmental groups fighting the reactors. Those groups are arguing their case to a panel of judges with the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board at a two-day hearing Tuesday and today.

"CPS Energy has a potentially difficult week ahead of it as it prepares to tackle rate hikes and the future of its controversial nuclear project. The utility has proposed a 7.5 percent rate increase for electricity and 8.5 percent for gas. The hikes, which would raise consumers' total power bills a little more than 4 percent, would bring in $99 million for the remainder of fiscal 2010 and $110 million next year. The money would help pay for the new Spruce 2 coal plant, two natural gas units and other programs. Residents will have a chance to weigh in at a public forum Monday evening. The utility's board is expected to vote on the rate increases Wednesday, and the City Council will vote Feb. 18. The increases would take effect March 1."

Nuclear Innovation North America argued in court Wednesday that CPS Energy had refused to pay its portion of January's development costs for the nuclear deal, a move that could kill the project. But later Wednesday, CPS said it would pay its share of January's costs, eliminating one of the many legal points of contention between the partners. "Our sole goal today was to ensure the ability of the STP expansion to continue past Jan. 1, and their decision accomplishes that goal," NRG spokesman Dave Knox said. NINA is owned by NRG and Toshiba Inc.

Nuclear Innovation North America argued in court Wednesday that CPS Energy had refused to pay its portion of January's development costs for the nuclear deal, a move that could kill the project. But later Wednesday, CPS said it would pay its share of January's costs, eliminating one of the many legal points of contention between the partners. "Our sole goal today was to ensure the ability of the STP expansion to continue past Jan. 1, and their decision accomplishes that goal," NRG spokesman Dave Knox said. NINA is owned by NRG and Toshiba Inc.

It took some doing, and some help from his friends, but Mayor Julián Castro appears to have finally wrested a resignation from CPS Energy Board Chair Aurora Geis this week. Geis was repolishing her resignation Tuesday afternoon, while stating she felt strongly that she is leaving utility on the right path despite the challenges that are ahead. "The timing of it is not what I would have preferred because there is so much stability that needs to be put in place," Geis said. "But now the greater challenge that we face is identifying a candidate who will be willing to serve."

It took some doing, and some help from his friends, but Mayor Julián Castro appears to have finally wrested a resignation from CPS Energy Board Chair Aurora Geis this week. Geis was repolishing her resignation Tuesday afternoon, while stating she felt strongly that she is leaving utility on the right path despite the challenges that are ahead. "The timing of it is not what I would have preferred because there is so much stability that needs to be put in place," Geis said. "But now the greater challenge that we face is identifying a candidate who will be willing to serve."

Last week's revelation that the proposed STP nuclear expansion may cost $4 billion (31 percent) more than expected, is a blessing and an opportunity for San Antonio. Courageous leadership is now needed, especially in light of the apparent attempt by CPS Energy management to hide this information before a council vote. If this news had not been discovered, ratepayers would have been saddled with $400 million more for nuclear paperwork, setting a path for billions more in uncontrolled spending. Warning about CPS debt, bond-rater Moody's dropped CPS' outlook from "stable" to "negative," and noted council must be readily willing to raise electric rates. How high will rates go? The cost overruns imply nuclear costs of 13-15 cents/kWh - much higher than projected. What to do now? A completely fresh start is needed.

Last week's revelation that the proposed STP nuclear expansion may cost $4 billion (31 percent) more than expected, is a blessing and an opportunity for San Antonio. Courageous leadership is now needed, especially in light of the apparent attempt by CPS Energy management to hide this information before a council vote. If this news had not been discovered, ratepayers would have been saddled with $400 million more for nuclear paperwork, setting a path for billions more in uncontrolled spending. Warning about CPS debt, bond-rater Moody's dropped CPS' outlook from "stable" to "negative," and noted council must be readily willing to raise electric rates. How high will rates go? The cost overruns imply nuclear costs of 13-15 cents/kWh - much higher than projected. What to do now? A completely fresh start is needed.

Toshiba Inc. has shaved about $1.4 billion off its price to build two nuclear reactors, but it's unlikely to ever reach an amount within San Antonio's price range, NRG Energy executives said Thursday. "We would expect ... the price estimate that Toshiba will come back with may be outside the affordability range for their ratepayers," Steve Winn, CEO of the NRG-owned Nuclear Innovation North America, said at a financial analysts' meeting in Houston. At issue is the cost San Antonio's CPS Energy and NRG Energy are willing to pay contractor Toshiba to build two nuclear reactors outside Bay City. CPS Energy has promised ratepayers and the City Council that it will pursue the deal as long as it can limit power bill increases to 5 percent every other year for the next decade. This can be done if the total project, with financing, will cost about $13 billion, utility officials say. To hit that amount, Toshiba's costs need to come in about $8 billion. But the Japanese contractor, NRG confirmed, estimated its price at $12.3 billion in October.

Toshiba Inc. has shaved about $1.4 billion off its price to build two nuclear reactors, but it's unlikely to ever reach an amount within San Antonio's price range, NRG Energy executives said Thursday. "We would expect ... the price estimate that Toshiba will come back with may be outside the affordability range for their ratepayers," Steve Winn, CEO of the NRG-owned Nuclear Innovation North America, said at a financial analysts' meeting in Houston. At issue is the cost San Antonio's CPS Energy and NRG Energy are willing to pay contractor Toshiba to build two nuclear reactors outside Bay City. CPS Energy has promised ratepayers and the City Council that it will pursue the deal as long as it can limit power bill increases to 5 percent every other year for the next decade. This can be done if the total project, with financing, will cost about $13 billion, utility officials say. To hit that amount, Toshiba's costs need to come in about $8 billion. But the Japanese contractor, NRG confirmed, estimated its price at $12.3 billion in October.

I'm not surprised about this new turn of events but I am stunned that your staff accepted interim GM Steve Bartley's statement that he didn't know about the omission. How could henot know? Ask Bartley what he'd do to any employee who: 1. told him he didn't know about a major element of their business, or 2. flat out lied to him? He would fire him on the spot. What CPS management did was out and out fraud. They lied to us on their application for a rate hike. Treat them the same way any bank would treat an application for a home loan if the financial information was fraudulent. Turn down the application and call the authorities to investigate. We should do the same. City Council would not tolerate any citizen coming before them and lying to their faces, or are they going to condone lying? Hopefully there are not two sets of rules - one for ordinary citizens and one for big shot citizens/companies.

I'm not surprised about this new turn of events but I am stunned that your staff accepted interim GM Steve Bartley's statement that he didn't know about the omission. How could henot know? Ask Bartley what he'd do to any employee who: 1. told him he didn't know about a major element of their business, or 2. flat out lied to him? He would fire him on the spot. What CPS management did was out and out fraud. They lied to us on their application for a rate hike. Treat them the same way any bank would treat an application for a home loan if the financial information was fraudulent. Turn down the application and call the authorities to investigate. We should do the same. City Council would not tolerate any citizen coming before them and lying to their faces, or are they going to condone lying? Hopefully there are not two sets of rules - one for ordinary citizens and one for big shot citizens/companies.

I'm not surprised about this new turn of events but I am stunned that your staff accepted interim GM Steve Bartley's statement that he didn't know about the omission. How could henot know? Ask Bartley what he'd do to any employee who: 1. told him he didn't know about a major element of their business, or 2. flat out lied to him? He would fire him on the spot. What CPS management did was out and out fraud. They lied to us on their application for a rate hike. Treat them the same way any bank would treat an application for a home loan if the financial information was fraudulent. Turn down the application and call the authorities to investigate. We should do the same. City Council would not tolerate any citizen coming before them and lying to their faces, or are they going to condone lying? Hopefully there are not two sets of rules - one for ordinary citizens and one for big shot citizens/companies.

CPS Energy trustees took no action Wednesday morning after deliberating for nearly 11 hours over the fate of several top executives connected to a nuclear cost estimate - much higher than expected - that was kept from the utility's board and the City Council. The board came out of executive session shortly before 1 a.m. to announce that it would continue deliberation Monday. "The seriousness of this issue warrants that this board takes care, takes caution," Chairwoman Aurora Geis told the sparse crowd that waited. "People's lives are at stake." Tuesday's meeting was a continuation of Monday's nearly five-hour session, during which the board heard results of an internal investigation into how contractor Toshiba Inc.'s high cost estimate for the multibillion-dollar nuclear expansion was kept under wraps.

CPS Energy trustees took no action Wednesday morning after deliberating for nearly 11 hours over the fate of several top executives connected to a nuclear cost estimate - much higher than expected - that was kept from the utility's board and the City Council. The board came out of executive session shortly before 1 a.m. to announce that it would continue deliberation Monday. "The seriousness of this issue warrants that this board takes care, takes caution," Chairwoman Aurora Geis told the sparse crowd that waited. "People's lives are at stake." Tuesday's meeting was a continuation of Monday's nearly five-hour session, during which the board heard results of an internal investigation into how contractor Toshiba Inc.'s high cost estimate for the multibillion-dollar nuclear expansion was kept under wraps.