South Carolina's Nuclear Disaster

What happens when lawmakers and industry craft a large, complicated bill and then rush it through the legislature without reading it? We saw the consequences in South Carolina. That's where two utilities in the state walked away from a nuclear plant they were building – leaving ratepayers to foot the bill and putting thousands of people out of work. It's the result of a piece of legislation quietly passed a decade ago. In this week's episode of The Energy Gang, we'll look at the political factors that led to South Carolina's nuclear debacle. Then, we'll review two newly published features about Louisiana – one on the state's disastrous environmental record, and the other on the slow recovery after last year’s record-breaking floods. We'll start the show off with a quick peek at the latest Tesla news, including the Model 3 unveiling and a major bond issuance. This podcast is sponsored by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. Visit Mission Solar at the upcoming Solar Power International conference at Booth 3975. You can find out more about Mission’s American-made, high-power modules at missionsolar.com. Recommended reading: How SC Lawmakers Passed a 2007 Law That Failed Power Customers: http://www.thestate.com/news/politics-government/article165641762.html The Louisiana Environmental Apocalypse Road Trip: https://longreads.com/2017/07/13/the-louisiana-environmental-apocalypse-road-trip/amp/ Disaster and Neglect in Louisiana: http://reports.climatecentral.org/great-flood-louisiana/one-year-later/