Officials from Idaho Power, Rocky Mountain Power and Avista told the Idaho Public Utilities Commission that high costs and lengthy permitting processes create obstacles for nuclear-powered electricity in Idaho.
The utilities spoke Tuesday during a public forum held outside Boise. They said nuclear energy could provide reliable, clean power while adding diversity to their energy portfolios.
Potential nuclear projects may require permitting processes lasting 10 years or more. Regulators also operate under a “least cost, least risk” mandate when evaluating utility matters.
Officials cited the expansion of Plant Vogtle in Georgia as an example of nuclear construction cost risk. The project exceeded its budget by between $16 billion and $21 billion.
None of the three utilities currently uses nuclear power in its energy mix. Rocky Mountain Power has announced a 40-year agreement to purchase electricity from a TerraPower nuclear plant under construction at a retiring coal plant site in Kemmerer, Wyoming. The U.S. Department of Energy is providing about $2 billion in federal funding for that project.
Adam Richins said diversity was a major benefit he associated with nuclear energy.
Edward Lodge said the forum’s primary purpose was to hear from each participating utility.
The three-member Idaho Public Utilities Commission sets rates and regulates investor-owned and privately owned utilities. No specific nuclear proposal was under consideration during Tuesday’s forum, and the commission took no action.