Collection:LPB

Genre: News, Public Affairs

Place Covered: St. Francisville, West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, St. Charles Parish, Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1984-02-03

Duration: 00:17:30

Subjects: NUCLEAR ENERGY | Nuclear power plants | Public utilities | Gulf States Utilities | River Bend Nuclear Station | Louisiana Power & Light Company | Waterford 3 Steam Electric Station | Louisiana Public Service Commission

Contributors:

• Johnson, Ken Host
• Ekings, Robyn Reporter
• Johnson, Ken Reporter
• Benedetto, Bill Interviewee
• Lambert, Louis Interviewee
• Irving, Steve Interviewee
• Duncan, Chris Interviewee
• Fort, Jim Interviewee
• Groesch, Gary Interviewee
• Schwegmann, John Interviewee
• Thompson, Robert Interviewee

This segment from the February 3, 1984, episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” features an in-depth report on the rising cost of nuclear power. In the first part of this report, Ken Johnson reports on the issues surrounding the use of nuclear power in the United States, including the average fourteen to seventeen years that it takes to build a nuclear power plant and the increase in a consumer’s utility bill once a plant is operational. In the second part of this report, Robyn Ekings reports on the ongoing construction of the River Bend I Nuclear Station in St. Francisville by Gulf States Utilities. Ekings reports that the project is five years past the original completion date and will cost at least $3 billion to complete. She also reports that Gulf States Utilities has asked for three rate increases from the Louisiana Public Service Commission. She interviews: Bill Benedetto of Gulf States Utilities; Louis Lambert of the Public Service Commission; and Steve Irving, an attorney that represents consumers. In the third part of this report, Ken Johnson reports on the ongoing construction of the Waterford 3 Nuclear Power Plant in St. Charles Parish by Louisiana Power and Light. Johnson reports that the project is now ten times more expensive than the original estimate and that Louisiana Power and Light has requested a $412 million rate increase from the Public Service Commission. He interviews: Chris Duncan, a New Orleans resident; Jim Fort of Louisiana Power and Light; Gary Groesch of Citizens for Safe Energy; John Schwegmann of the Public Service Commission; and Robert Thompson, a New Orleans resident.