AEHI seeks a second possible nuke site -- in Payette County

by Brian Orban

Mountain Home News

As debate continues over the fate of a proposed nuclear power plant in Elmore County, the company backing the initiative submitted an application Monday seeking an alternate site in Payette County for the generating facility.

Alternate Energy Holdings, Inc. submitted an application to Payette County officials Oct. 19 requesting an amendment to the county's comprehensive plan, according to the company's Oct. 20 press release.

If approved, the amended development plan would give AEHI the green light to build a nuclear power generating facility on 5,100-acres of land northwest of Boise.

The company previously submitted a similar request to Elmore County officials to rezone 1,280 acres of agricultural land approximately 10 miles southwest of Hammett into a heavy industrial zone. However, a final decision on granting the rezone remains in limbo as members of the county's planning and zoning commission continue to debate over conflicting issues in its comprehensive plan regarding whether or not such a rezone can be allowed there in the first place.

In June, the Elmore County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to hold off on approving AEHI's zoning amendment application until those issues were resolved. A letter released by the commissioners July 6 said the conflict focuses on the comprehensive plan's economic development chapter to "encourage and support heavy industrial development" in the Simco Road area north of Mountain Home versus other areas in the county. An objective listed in the plan's land-use chapter limits heavy industrial and manufacturing and waste facilities to the Simco Road area.

The conflict prompted the commissioners to send the application back to the planning and zoning commission and have that group write proposed amendments to the comprehensive plan, which could, theoretically, pave the way for the rezone. If the comprehensive plan is amended to clearly allow it, the county commissioners would then reconsider AEHI's application to rezone the land for the nuclear power plant.

County growth and development director Alan Christy said the comprehensive plan review "is definitely moving forward but needs an in-depth review." County staff and attorneys plan to met this week as part of the review process, but Christy was hesitant to set a firm date when those groups would finish this process. The commissioners will not be involved as earlier reported.

"Things have not been moving along fast enough in Elmore County. Actually, they have been moving along fairly slow," said company spokesman Martin S. Johncox in an interview with National Public Radio. "We've had some other counties here in Idaho express interest to us. So we have kind of broadened our opportunities."

In April 2008, AEHI halted its original plan to build a nuclear power plant near Bruneau, shifting its efforts to seek approval to build the facility along the Snake River close to Hammett. The company said it changed locations for several reasons, including the discovery of a fault line on the Bruneau property during its site evaluation.

The nuclear energy company remains committed to built a generating facility in Idaho. In its press release, company officials said, "other Idaho communities and groups began to learn of the significant economic benefits an advanced nuclear plant brings to areas particularly rural communities" while the Elmore County rezone application remained under review.

The Snake River Alliance, which opposes nuclear energy development in Idaho, expressed its doubts that Payette County would remain receptive to the nuclear power plant. It highlighted a previous initiative by energy tycoon Warren Buffett to build a similar plant in Payette County only to later cancel these plans. The Alliance claims Buffett halted his plans because the project "didn't make economic sense."

"If Warren Buffett's giant Mid-American Energy decided a nuke plant in Payette County didn't pencil out after spending $13 million studying the site, what makes (AEHI President and CEO Don) Gillispie believe he can pull it off," alliance officials added. "Mr. Buffett had three things Mr. Gillispie lacks: Money, a proven energy track record and credibility among local residents."

AEHI stressed that it's not looking at the same property Mid-American sought in its earlier proposal, Johncox said.

The Snake River Alliance considers AEHI's most recent move "strike three" in its attempt to build a reactor in southern Idaho.

"There's absolutely no reason to believe Payette County will be any more receptive than the last two counties where AEHI wore out its welcome," said Snake River Alliance Energy Program Director Ken Miller.

Gillispie stands by his company's dedication to bringing nuclear energy options to the state

"We believe President Obama's recent pro-nuclear remarks not only reflect the nation's, but the world's view that nuclear power is the key to addressing climate change," Gillispie said.

"While renewable energy has almost universal support, many now realize it can only provide about one-third of the nation's electricity when fully deployed due to intermittent reliability. A clean, highly reliable, base load power source like nuclear is also needed to stabilize our electric grids, keep electricity costs low and replace carbon sources that are harming our environment."