Our “good neighbors” at Xcel Energy have file an application for a Certificate of Need to add more nuclear waste casks at the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant. The application is the most poorly written filing I’ve seen from Xcel — they’re usually so well done, but this application, particularly the first 7 chapters, are dreadful, circular, non-sensical. Chapters 8 and onward are better, except for a frolic and detour from the subject in Chapter 9.

Yesterday, on behalf of Communities United for Responsible Energy, I filed Initial Comments with the Public Utilities Commission:

The oddest thing about this application is that they say repeatedly that they have capacity to last until 2033. Last I looked, it’s 2024 (how’d that happen?!?!), they’re applying for this at least SEVEN (7) years too early. PREMATURE!!!

Another major flaw — they’re saying nuclear energy is “carbon free.” Ummm, ever examined the full nuclear cycle? CARBON FREE?

Here’s the application — see for yourself how awful it is, and check out Appendix I – the “Nuclear Leave Behind” transmission study:

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