Oklahoma Nuclear Power Bill Advances in Committee

February 18, 2009

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Oklahoma lawmakers signaled their interest to go nuclear, approving legislation that would streamline the state's regulatory process and provide new incentives to build a nuclear power plant.

Two bills were approved by the House Energy and Utility Regulation Committee Tuesday after nuclear power proponents warned that other alternative energy sources alone, like solar, wind and geothermal energy, will not be enough to meet future power needs as the state and nation reduce their reliance on foreign oil.

"Solar and wind will not cut it," said Raman P. Singh, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. Singh said nuclear energy production must be considered as the state and nation work their way out of an energy crisis.

"I think we have a responsibility to our children and our children's children," Singh said.

"We need all types of energy," said John R. Corn, vice president of Enercon of Tulsa, an engineering company that supports the electrical generation industry. "If this state does not do it, other states will."

Opponents warned of the possible health consequences of nuclear power, including increases in the rates of cancer.

"I wouldn't want to vote for something that causes cancer," said Dr. Morton S. Skorodin, who distributed a power point presentation highlighting the dangers of nuclear power.

"Nuclear power plants do vent radioactive nuclear gases every single day," Skorodin said. "All forms of cancer can be induced by radiation."

Bud Scott of the Sierra Club said nuclear energy is not a viable industry for the state because of its enormous cost. Officials said a nuclear power plant would cost up to $8 billion and take 10 or 12 years to build.

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