Duke Energy's Harris nuclear down but not out

May 8, 2013 | By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

Duke Energy has submitted to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) its plans to suspend its application for two proposed nuclear units on its Harris site in Wake County, North Carolina. Progress Energy Carolinas submitted the combined construction and operating license application to the NRC in February 2008.

Harris Nuclear Unit 1. Credit: NRC

"The Harris site is well suited for new nuclear generation and has not been eliminated from our long-term consideration as a site to expand our nuclear fleet," said Dhiaa Jamil, Duke Energy executive vice president and president of Duke Energy Nuclear. "Duke uses an integrated resource planning approach to ensure that it reliably and economically forecasts and plans resources to meet the electricity needs of its customers well into the future. Our most recent forecast indicates two additional nuclear units at Harris will not be needed in the next 15 years."

NC WARN -- an organization dedicated to "averting runaway climate and economic chaos by pressing Duke Energy to join the clean energy revolution or at least stop impeding it" -- is declaring this a victory.

"Duke Energy's cancellation yesterday of licensing efforts to build two nuclear reactors at subsidiary Progress Energy's Harris nuclear plant is good news -- but it comes with a taint," NC Warn Executive Director Jim Warren said in a statement. "It is tragic that, against our vigorous warnings, Duke-Progress threw away eight years and $70 million while blocking widespread advances in energy-saving programs, solar and wind, and combined heat and power, which together could allow phase-out of all fossil-fueled power in the Carolinas and help avoid the soaring electricity rates that are hammering families, small businesses and local governments."

Duke Energy has operated nuclear plants for more than 40 years as a key component of its long-term strategy to reduce its carbon footprint and continues to pursue its application with the NRC for new nuclear generation for the W.S. Lee site in Gaffney, S.C. and the Levy site in Levy County, Fla.

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