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It'll be a long road to a new nuclear plant

By TIMES STAFF WRITERS
Published December 14, 2006

Here are some reactions to Progress Energy's plan for a new nuclear plant in Levy County.

DIXIE HOLLINS: The sprawling 5,000-acre site north of Crystal River where Progress Energy's nuclear plant and four coal-fired plants sit is familiar territory for Dixie Hollins.

In the 1960s his family sold the land to Florida Power Corp. And his company, Citrus Mining & Timber, still owns more than 1,000 acres nearby, just north of the Cross Florida Barge Canal.

On Wednesday, Hollins said he was happy to hear Progress had picked a site in Levy.

"It will be a big asset to Levy County. I think it will also be a good asset to Citrus County. It will create a lot of jobs, and it will create some new industry," he said.

He said Progress Energy's plans to draw water from the barge canal won't get in the way of his plans to develop his property. Hollins said his plans for Hollinswood are now on hold, but he still hopes to build a marina or "some type of industrial manufacturing" there.

Hollins said he talked to Progress Energy about the possibility of building new transmission lines through his property last year.

"Whatever I can do as a landowner in Citrus County to help Progress Energy, whether it's the existing plant they have or the plant they're going to build, I'm very open-minded on trying to help that industry," he said. "It's a great opportunity."

JIM EYSTER: His Nature Coast Landings RV park is only a few miles south of the proposed Levy County site, said he thinks the construction of a new nuclear plant will be good for property values and sales.

The 239-unit park still has 11 units available, he said.

"I think there will be people who buy a site there that are anticipating being at the plant, or people buying it as an investment and renting it to people who are working at the plant," Eyster said.

And he said he wasn't worried about Progress Energy's plans to draw 20-million to 25-million gallons of water daily from the barge canal - just 1,000 feet north of Nature Coast Landings.

"I don't think there will be any impact. There's a lot of water up there," he said. "And I'm sure that they have standards they will have to meet. ... I'm confident that the state agencies look out for the consumers' interests."

MANATEES: Advocates for the gentle giants have a few concerns.

A big utility could bring increased boat traffic into the barge canal, which manatees use as a birthing area.

But Helen Spivey, co-chairwoman of the Save the Manatee Club, said she doesn't expect that a new nuclear plant would necessarily attract any more manatees into the barge canal.

Warm water from power plant discharges attracts manatees, which seek warm spots when gulf temperatures drop in the winter.

This is why manatees flock to Citrus County's warm springs - and to the area near Progress Energy's existing power plant - at this time every year.

PROTESTS? Spivey predicted that Levy residents will be concerned about the potential plant in their back yard.

"Levy County had a fit when they (officials from an other utility company) were just trying to put in a little hydro-electric plant, and we haven't heard from those people yet," Spivey said.

BETTY BERGER: An outspoken Inglis Town Commission member, Berger spent 10 years fighting that hydro-electric plant. But she's keeping an open mind about nuclear power.

"It would be good for the tax base and we're a poor county," she said.

Though she's not concerned about radioactivity, Berger said Progress Energy will have to be cautious when dealing with local water sources. She worries that running water from the barge canal to Progress' property could cause saltwater to infiltrate drinking water sources.

UNION LEADER: Employees at Progress Energy's Crystal River complex officially heard the news Tuesday morning.

Joe Adams, business manager of IBEW System Council U-8 in Crystal River, said most of the workers probably expected the new plant would be in Levy County.

"It was no big shock," he said. "It will be good for Levy County. They'll come to love it."

FEDERAL REGULATORS: Progress will need thousands of construction workers and hundreds of skilled plant workers if the company goes ahead with its plans to build a nuclear plant in Levy.

But don't quit your day job yet.

Tuesday's announcement was the first step in a lengthy regulatory process.

Progress Energy hopes to submit an application for the plant to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 2008.

The NRC's review alone could take more than 30 months. Florida's Public Service Commission and Levy County officials will also likely evaluate aspects of the proposal.

NRC spokesman Scott Burnell said nearby residents will have a say. Once Progress Energy submits an application, Burnell said, the NRC will notify the public "that they have the opportunity to intervene."

If members of the public submit legitimate objections, the NRC's Atomic Safety and Licensing Board could hold public hearings, he said.

[Last modified December 13, 2006, 20:26:19]