The first commercial nuclear plant started operation at Calder Hall in England in 1956. By 1970, reactors were in construction around the world. Many predicted that atomic energy would generate most of the world’s power by 2000. In 1973, President Richard Nixon stated, “It is estimated that nuclear power will provide more than one-quarter of the country’s electrical production by 1985, and over half by the year 2000.”
However, operational problems and environmental opposition would sway public opinion against atomic energy. Reactor failures at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania in 1979, in Chernobyl, Ukraine in 1986, and at Fukushima, Japan in 2011 raised safety concerns.…
“By increasing natural gas capacity by 13%, [the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) Project] will deliver stable energy supply that ensures small businesses, affordable housing developments, and new industries have the power they need to operate and grow. NESE is projected to save New Yorkers up to $6 billion over the next 15 years….”
New York Governor Kathy Hochul is an anti-energy governor, joining California’s Gavin Newsom. But the magical energies of wind and solar, replete with battery backup, have not delivered. Natural gas, in particular, is the phantom fuel for affordable, reliable. least-cost electricity.
New York State’s infamous climate law, Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, is in big trouble. With unachievable targets–a 40 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and 85 percent by 2050 from baseline 1990 levels–the law envisions 100 percent zero-emission electricity by 2040 with a Climate Action Council and a Scoping Plan to reach these targets.…
“Subsidies like the DOE’s guarantees can incentivize firms to prioritize short-term gains over long-term compliance. Sunnova’s aggressive sales tactics, which targeted vulnerable consumers, were enabled by its belief that federal backing insulated it from accountability.” (Issac Lane, below)
MasterResource has chronicled the rise and fall of the large, government-enabled rooftop solar company, Sunnova Energy International, Inc. Led by the toothy Enron-ex John Berger (who made millions of dollars at the expense of just about everyone else, including taxpayers), Sunnova is yet another case study of business failure under political capitalism (versus free-market capitalism).
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