[imc-st.louis] Callaway nuke threatens St. Louis economy & health

[Don Fitz]

Green Party of St. Louis

* *

*For immediate release: February 18, 2009** / **Contact: Don Fitz * 
*314-727-8554** *


        Callaway nuke threatens St. Louis economy & health

_February 18, 2009– St. Louis, Missouri._ Groups of St. Louis residents 
are gearing up to protest the proposed nuclear reactor at Callaway.

While some testify at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission hearing in 
Fulton MO, other St. Louis residents will picket at:

*11:00 am, Wednesday, February 18, 2009*

* St. Louis City Hall, 12th & Market*

Elston K. McCowan, Green Party candidate for Mayor of St. Louis, says 
elected officials who remain silent on this issue are betraying the 
financial well-being and health of the citizens they are supposed to 
represent.

Ameren UE is advocating the repeal of Missouri’s No CWIP law in order to 
have taxpayers cover the cost of constructing a new reactor. CWIP refers 
to “construction work in progress.” In 1976, by a nearly 2 to 1 margin, 
Missouri voters approved a law prohibiting ratepayers from being charged 
for construction of a plant until it is “fully operational and used for 
service.”

“If Ameren gets its way on this, St. Louis residents could be paying for 
the nuke forever,” said McCowan. The projected cost of the plant is 
$6–$10 billion. But the type of plant proposed for Callaway (“European 
Pressurized Reactor”) has never been tested anywhere. The one being 
constructed in Finland is already 50% over budget. “This means a second 
nuke at Callaway could cost us $9 to $15 billion,” commented McCowan. 
The cost of decommissioning the plant after its life cycle of 40 years 
is $19–$41 billion.

“It is complete financial irresponsibility to do anything but oppose 
this project,” charges McCowan. “The number of people who could not pay 
their electric bills would skyrocket. And Ameren wants the ability to 
increase rates every three months.”

“It would be irresponsible for City government,” McCowan continues, 
“with an electric bill out of the roof, the City would be forced to 
choose between increasing taxes, laying off workers or having days 
without electricity.”

“It could be a death blow to small businesses that are heavily dependent 
on electricity,” McCowan adds. “Hair salons and grocery stores using 
refrigeration are just some who would see their electric bills rise so 
much that they could go bankrupt.”

The Green Party believes that government should encourage new businesses 
to start solar and wind power rather than bankrupting existing 
businesses. Renewable energy companies can be started with a relatively 
small amount of capital. In contrast, power plants require billions. 
McCowan believes the two are incompatible: “Every dollar you throw at 
nuclear power is a dollar you take away from renewable energy.”

According to Tim Kaminski, Green Party candidate for 7th ward 
Alderperson, “Our health is even more important than our pocketbooks. 
This reactor would discharge radioactive contaminated waste into St. 
Louis drinking water. Just the routine operation of nukes causes cancer 
and immune system disorders in workers. These are the everyday health 
dangers of nuclear power before we even consider a Chernobyl-type meltdown.”

“Efforts to stop nuclear power was the first big issue the German Green 
Party tackled in the 1970s,” says Ken Hollenbeck, Green Party candidate 
for 13th ward Alderperson. “Stopping another reactor at Callaway is in 
the best of our tradition.”

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