MidAmerican downplays mention of Palo as nuke site, but some say it makes good sense

MidAmerican Energy's naming of Palo on an otherwise-undisclosed list of potential nuclear plant sites in Iowa doesn't shock Palo Mayor Paula Gunter.

“I was kind of excited, looking at the potential growth of Palo,” said Gunter, a financial analyst for Alliant Energy in addition to her elective position.

Gunter said news of the nuclear catastrophe in Japan hasn't, at least to her knowledge, fanned any new fears of nuclear power in Palo. She said the community has no risk of tsunamis and limited earthquake risk.  Even the record Cedar River flood of June 2008 didn't interfere with operation of the plant, she said.

Some members of the Iowa General Assembly have proposed that a fast-moving bill to give preferential regulatory treatment to nuclear power be put on a slower track until the implications of Japan's nuclear crisis can be evaluated.

Putting a second nuclear plant on the site would in some ways fulfill the original plans for the Duane Arnold Energy Center when it was announced in 1968 by its original owner,  Iowa Electric Light and Power Co.

“This facility is scheduled to be in operation by December 1973 and , against the possibility for future requirements the site will be readied for a second nuclear unit of similar size when practical and necessary,” IE President Duane Arnold, for whom the plant was named, said at the time.

The consideration of Palo as a possible site for MidAmerican's project came Thursday at an appearance by MidAmerican President William Fehrman before an Iowa Senate Commerce Subcommittee hearing on the bill, Senate File 390.

MidAmerican spokeswoman Ann Thelen said, and was only responding to the suggestion State Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City, who asked if Palo could be a site for the plant. She downplayed the mention of Palo, saying “there are a lot of other places on the list.”

MidAmerican won't be revealing the list until sometime this fall, Thelen said. That would appear to leave Iowans without a clear idea of what sites are under consideration before the bill's fate is determined.

The desire for nuclear power stems from a growing need for continuously operating power stations that don't add to carbon emissions. Nuclear fission does not generate carbon emissions like burning coal, or even natural gas. However environmentalist say that mining and enriching uranium for nuclear power does produce carbon emissions, and that issues of spent fuel storage and nuclear safety are still unresolved.

The Duane Arnold Energy Center's majority owner and operator didn't indicate any interest in hosting a second nuclear unit at this time.

“Right now, our company has no plans related to this legislation,” said Renee Nelson, communications manager for the plant, 70-percent owned by Florida-based NextEra Energy. She declined further comment.

The idea of adding a second nuclear reactor at Palo actually makes some logistical and economic sense, according to a consultant who advises large electrical users on power supply and rate issues.

“If you were going to have another nuclear plant built here, this would be a great place to put it,” said Robert Latham of Latham & Associates in Cedar Rapids.

Latham said the area already has a highly skilled nuclear energy work force that could potentially be shared by the two plants under some kind of management agreement. He said efficiencies from having two plants at the site might include shared regulatory agency relationships, shared emergency drills, shared security arrangements, and shared backup plans.

The Duane Arnold Energy Center already has a great working relationship with local public safety agencies for evacuation planning and related safety issues, Latham said.

The site would not be without challenges, however. Latham said the plant is on the ITC Midwest transmission system rather than MidAmerican's own transmission system. The transmission system would have to be “bulked up” to handle more power, Latham said, but the two issues could likely be overcome.

Latham believes the best sites for the plant would likely be in eastern portions of Iowa because it is closer to more energy users, and has fewer transmission constraints.

Thelen said MidAmerican is considering a new design of smaller nuclear power generators that can be linked together to boost output as demand dictates. Some of the individual units MidAmerican is studying are 48 megawatts.

Gunter, Palo's mayor, said she only found out that Palo was under consideration by reading Friday's Gazette. She doesn't know how most Palo residents feel about the prospect, but expects the issue to be discussed at a town meeting in two weeks.

Duane Arnold Energy Center at a glance

Licensed: February 1974

Began operations: February 1974

Generating Capacity: 600,000 megawatts, enough to power 600,000 homes

Design: Boiling Water Reactor

Location: About 8 miles northwest of Cedar Rapids near Palo

License expiration: 2024