Proposed nuclear reactor moves
COURTESY
Idaho Press-Tribune
Issue date: 4/7/08 Section: News
The Idaho Energy Complex announced a new Southwest Idaho location for its 1,600-megawatt nuclear reactor last Wednesday, April 4. The new 1,400-acre site is in Elmore County, near the north shore of the Snake River, and only 15 miles upstream from the original site in Owyhee County on the south shore of the Snake River.
"When you add it all up, the Elmore site has pretty much all the advantages of the Owyhee site, none of the disadvantages and a number of extra advantages that will simplify construction of what is arguably the most complex single land-based structure humans typically build," CEO of Alternate Energy Holdings Inc. Don Gillispie said in a press release. "We are ambitious and we are constantly striving to improve what we are doing."
Gillispie said no one single reason prompted the move to the Elmore site, which is currently farmed for hay. Preliminary geologic studies a year ago found old underground faults at the Owyhee site, but they were not serious enough to stall the project. However, they are adding significantly to analytical and construction expenses.
This fact, coupled with the high land costs, makes the Owyhee site less attractive, according to the press release.
"Nuclear plants operate safely in some of the most seismically active places in world such as California and Japan," Gillispie said, "but we are an investor-owned company, and as CEO, my first responsibility is to my shareholders. If we can offer a better product at a lower cost at a different location, I have to go to that location."
Gillispie and company representatives will make an informal presentation to the Elmore County Commission soon; the date and time have yet to be announced. The company will also announce a new timeline for the project.
According to the press release, the Elmore site has a number of other important advantages over the Owyhee site, including:
The Elmore site is level, simplifying development.
A rail line and highway run to the Elmore site. No bridge will need to be purpose-built over Bureau of Land Management property for transporting the millions of tons of building materials and thousands of workers that will be employed assembling the plant.
The site is north of the Snake River, so the reactor vessel and other large components, which weigh thousands of tons, will not need to be transported across Snake River bridges.
The Elmore site is lower, with a 380-foot lift from the Snake River, compared to 480-foot lift for the Owyhee site.
"When you add it all up, the Elmore site has pretty much all the advantages of the Owyhee site, none of the disadvantages and a number of extra advantages that will simplify construction of what is arguably the most complex single land-based structure humans typically build," CEO of Alternate Energy Holdings Inc. Don Gillispie said in a press release. "We are ambitious and we are constantly striving to improve what we are doing."
Gillispie said no one single reason prompted the move to the Elmore site, which is currently farmed for hay. Preliminary geologic studies a year ago found old underground faults at the Owyhee site, but they were not serious enough to stall the project. However, they are adding significantly to analytical and construction expenses.
This fact, coupled with the high land costs, makes the Owyhee site less attractive, according to the press release.
"Nuclear plants operate safely in some of the most seismically active places in world such as California and Japan," Gillispie said, "but we are an investor-owned company, and as CEO, my first responsibility is to my shareholders. If we can offer a better product at a lower cost at a different location, I have to go to that location."
Gillispie and company representatives will make an informal presentation to the Elmore County Commission soon; the date and time have yet to be announced. The company will also announce a new timeline for the project.
According to the press release, the Elmore site has a number of other important advantages over the Owyhee site, including:
The Elmore site is level, simplifying development.
A rail line and highway run to the Elmore site. No bridge will need to be purpose-built over Bureau of Land Management property for transporting the millions of tons of building materials and thousands of workers that will be employed assembling the plant.
The site is north of the Snake River, so the reactor vessel and other large components, which weigh thousands of tons, will not need to be transported across Snake River bridges.
The Elmore site is lower, with a 380-foot lift from the Snake River, compared to 480-foot lift for the Owyhee site.
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