ML14098A024

Comment (3) of Jamie Beier Grant on Behalf of the Ottawa County Improvement Corporation on Environmental Impacts of Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station

ML14098A024
Person / Time
Site:	Davis Besse
Issue date:	04/03/2014
From:	Jeffery Grant Ottawa County Improvement Corp
To:	Rules, Announcements, and Directives Branch
References
79FR13079 00003
Download: ML14098A024 (2)

Text

i. - F UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001

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- - I OCIC Comments: Davis-Besse Draft EnvironmentalImpact Statement Public Meeting Good evening. My name is Jamie Beier Grant and I currently serve as Director of the Ottawa County Improvement Corporation. I'd like to thank you for this opportunity to discuss the environmental impacts of Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station as you consider its request for license renewal.

The Ottawa County Improvement Corporation is the lead economic development agency in the county and is charged with promoting the industrial, economic, commercial, and civic development of Ottawa County. Our focus is the creation of an environment in Ottawa County where existing businesses are able to successfully compete and grow in the worldwide marketplace and allow us to attract new companies to the area.

One key consideration in attracting new business investments to the area is the availability of reliable, cost-effective electricity. Over the last few years, clients I have worked with have made environmental sustainability and utility reliability a critical component of their location search, as they look to operate in areas that can provide a number of "green" options.

The more than 900-megawatts of power provided through the Davis-Besse plant helps meet both the cost-effective supply of electricity and the incorporation of the "green" option into those search components. Nuclear energy is by far the largest source of electricity that doesn't emit any air pollution - and the only non-emitting source that can produce large amounts of electricity around the clock. Davis-Besse is an economical, secure energy source that we can depend on 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> a day, because it isn't subject to changing weather conditions, unpredictable fuel cost fluctuations or over-dependence on foreign suppliers.

Davis-Besse is also a clean-air and carbon-free generator that produces no greenhouse gases or air pollutants. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Davis-Besse and its sister site in Perry, east of Cleveland, generate 92 percent of the carbon-free electricity produced in Ohio.

During the 2013 and 2014 winter, our region has experienced significant challenges inherent with some alternate fuel sources, including natural gas. As an example, the Toledo Blade published an article on January 8 that examined the effects of unusually high residential natural gas usage which resulted in a shortage of gas supply and a temporary halt in production capabilities at a number of gas plants. In essence, because homes were being served with natural gas first, those plants couldn't get enough for their needs and were shut down.

This is just one recent and local example of the importance of maintaining a diverse supply of fuel for electricity production and the negative impacts on consumers when limited and unreliable electric supply is the only option.

In closing, nuclear power must continue to produce safe, reliable electricity as part of the country's diverse energy portfolio. I strongly support the issuance of an additional 20 year operating license for Davis-Besse, which will afford our region continued production of reliable power. This is vital to maintaining a business-friendly environment in Ottawa County and supporting the prosperity of Northwest Ohio.