Gah, quit being wishy-washy. Just say "Hell yes, build it!"
McCain: Seabrook 2 is worth another look
By JOHN DISTASO
Senior Political Reporter
11 minutes ago
Manchester While he hasnt studied the specifics in detail, John McCain today said the long-dormant Seabrook Unit 2 may fit into his plan for 45 additional nuclear power plants in the United States in the next two decades.
McCain, in a telephone interview prior to his town hall meeting in Rochester, said today that his plan for United States energy independence includes not only conservation and renewable energy sources, but a major effort for more drilling for oil and for more nuclear power.
Would his nuclear expansion plan include a look at the possibility of uncapping canceled reactors, specifically Seabrook 2?
Ive been told, and Im not an expert on it, but Ive been told that that may have some viability, MCain said. But Id like to look at it some more.
He said he had not studied Seabrook closely enough to know exactly what that viability is.
Still, McCain said adding 45 nuclear power plants by 2030 will create 700,000 jobs. It takes five years to build a nuclear power plant in France. Why should it take 10 or more years in the United States of America?
After a decades of regulatory battles and environmental protests, Seabrook Unit 1 was licensed in 1990 and has operated without any significant safety issues.
McCain said licensing regulations can be streamlined without sacrificing safety.
The French have a standard technology and standard design, he said. Nuclear power plants have been powering Navy ships that have been going around the world for 60 years without an accident.
We have to obviously be cognizant of the safety requirements but there are countries that have been cognizant of those requirements and have been successful, McCain said.
McCain said that in recent town halls he has held across the country, voters have been telling him that they are concerned about the economy, and the most visible issue regarding the economy is the energy situation.
They are discovering every time they go to the gas station, the price of a gallon of gas has gone up.
He said it is hurting middle-income Americans the most.
Frankly, they are angry at Congress and the (Bush) for not acting. They want off-shore drilling. They want nuclear power. They understand the national security component of this energy crisis," he said.
McCain said voters applaud when he proposes off-shore drilling and building more nuclear power plants.
He said that Barack Obama is against off-shore drilling, against storing spent nuclear fuel and reprocessing.
So hes not part of the solution. Hes part of the problem, said McCain.
McCain refused to comment on a report by columnist Robert Novak that he would name a running mate this week.
I still dont have any comment on that process, he said.
Nor would he comment on The New York Times rejection this week of his op-ed on Obamas stance on Iraq.
It is what it is, he said. Ill let the American people judge.
For more on our wide-ranging interview with the presumptive presidential nominee, including his comments on Obamas trip to the Mideast, see UnionLeader.com later today and the New Hampshire Union Leader and UnionLeader.com tomorrow.
History lesson for people from different areas: Seabrook was designed to support two Westinghouse reactors, and has the distribution switching and all for two reactors. However, after fighting off anti-nuclear activists (Clamshell) for a decade, and fighting with Dukakis in the next state as well, they could only afford to finish one. Seabrook 1 went online in 1990, and the area around it is a wildlife refuge of marsh wetlands, peaceful and serene. It generates 38% of NH's power, and was upgraded for significantly higher power production a few years ago, it now operates at 1244 MW. Seabrook 2's partially-completed dome had to be taken down due to corrosion, and the reactor components were sold to other facilities. The power switching systems and cooling support equipment are all still in place for a second reactor.
I would have been more pleased if he just said "YES BUILD IT", but...it's at least better than Obama and the Dem's no, accompanied by whining about wind and solar...
