Kentucky Behind the Curve Still on Energy

For decades, since the advent of nuclear power, Kentucky has outlawed nuclear power generating plants on its soil.

Not because Kentucky was skeptical about the safety of nuclear power. Not because Kentucky foresaw catastrophes like Three Mile Island and Chernobyl and Fukushima.

But because Kentucky feared the competition nuclear power would present to the Commonwealth's corporate overlord: Big Coal.

Back in May, Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear took a tiny step toward opening the door to nuclear-related industry - 15 months after the Fukushima catastrophe signed nuclear energy's death warrant.

Susie Madrak at Crooks and Liars on Monday:

This may not happen, since the country may change political leadership, but it's certainly a milestone:

TOKYO — Japan said Friday that it would seek to phase out nuclear power by 2040 — a historic shift for a country that has long staked its future on such energy, but one that falls far short of the decisive steps the government had promised in the wake of the world’s second-largest nuclear plant disaster last year.

SNIP

The announcement comes after months of increasing anxiety and intense political pressure from those on both sides of the debate who believe Japan’s future is at stake. Many political and business leaders argue that shutting nuclear plants would doom the resource-poor country to high energy costs and a deeper economic malaise. But many Japanese, while acknowledging the economic upheaval it could cause, have expressed hope that the country will phase out nuclear energy within two decades and a nascent, but increasingly vocal antinuclear movement has pressed for even faster action.

From Governor Beshear, in May:

Governor Steve Beshear today held a ceremonial bill signing of House Bill 559, legislation that clarifies the types of nuclear-based technologies that can be developed and used in the Commonwealth.

The legislation, sponsored by House Majority Floor Leader Rocky Adkins, of Sandy Hook, allows nuclear-related industries to exist in Kentucky as long as electricity generation is not the primary output of their processes.

“This legislation is an important step toward developing industries that will give western Kentucky potentially significant employment opportunities,” Gov. Beshear said. “While I have been assured through efforts of our congressional delegation that the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant will continue its work for some time to come, I believe this legislation allows us to plan for the future in such a way to ensure there will not only be job stability at that facility, but also added employment opportunities as well.”

HB 559 allows industry development for such nuclear-based technologies as nuclear-assisted coal or gas conversion where electricity is not the primary output; re-enrichment of depleted nuclear tails; recycling or reprocessing of spent nuclear fuels; and the processing of metals contaminated with radioactive materials.

 Kentucky: Where corrupt, outmoded, lethal, globally-destructive energy technologies will always find a welcome.