E-M:/ Sneaky Senate provision gives nuke plant builders $50 Bn in loan guarantees

[Kay Cumbow <kcumbow@greatlakes.net>]

- If this provision succeeds, this would be one of the largest
single-industry corporate subsidies in history. Why isn't there this kind
of subsidy for truly sustainable energy, or - why isn't there a
nationwide energy conservation/energy efficiency campaign? Folks, it is
your taxpayer dollars. Call your federal representatives and let them
know what you think!  And let's re-open that "Is nuclear power
truly clean and green?" discussion. - Kay Cumbow 

http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/073107EA.shtml

 Snip: "Many experts fear that the proposed
subsidies could leave taxpayers responsible for billions of dollars in
soured loans. 

 Snip: "Such projects, by their nature, pose significant
technical and market risks," the nonpartisan Congressional Budget
Office warned last month in an analysis of the provision. "Studies
of the accuracy of cost estimates for pioneering technologies have found
that estimates are consistently low." 

Snip: "Michael J. Wallace, the co-chief executive of UniStar
Nuclear, a partnership seeking to build nuclear reactors, and executive
vice president of Constellation Energy, said: 'Without loan guarantees we
will not build nuclear power plants.' "