Rep. Cathrynn Brown pushes nuclear issue in Santa FeFeb 14 - Zack Ponce Carlsbad Current-Argus, N.M.
Today could be the first key hurdle to eventually having Southeastern New Mexico become a "nuclear corridor" as some officials have long hoped. Legislation authored by New Mexico Representative Cathrynn Brown, R-Carlsbad, aims to require the state's Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department to fund a feasibility and economic viability study of small module nuclear reactors as part of its ongoing state energy plan. The proposal, House Memorial 57, is scheduled for a hearing and vote in the House Energy and Natural Resources Committee at 9 a.m. If passed, the legislation moves to a floor vote. "It's always hard to predict what happens in the legislature but I think we've got a very good chance of getting a 'yes' on this memorial," Brown said. The memorial pushes to have the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department begin research immediately and have a report ready for committee review by December of this year. "I think it's certainly time to start the discussion on this technology," Brown said. "It's not nearly as expensive as a full-scale reactor. I think we're going to find out that the cost of electricity is very reasonable under this way of doing things It satisfies everyone's desire for a safe and affordable energy." Carlsbad Mayor Dale Janway has long supported the idea of a SMR in Eddy County and has created a Nuclear Task Force to continue local research and planning for such a facility. Last December, NuScale Power sent a representative to Carlsbad to present conceptualizations of the company's SMR design which is 1/3 the size of current nuclear reactors and uses just 45 mega-watts of energy as opposed to popular 1,000 Mwe reactors currently in use by other companies. Reporter Zack Ponce can be reached at (575) 689-7402. http://www.energycentral.com/functional/news/news_detail.cfm?did=31536079& |