Concern turns to the future of the employees and the community now that Entergy has decided to shut down the Fitzpatrick Power Plant. The workers found out Monday morning in a face-to-face meeting with President Bill Mohl. Senior manager of Communications Jerry Nappi says nothing is immediate; the decision means the plant won’t re-fuel next year. For now, Entergy will still be producing power and running the plant.
“Make sure that they retain these employees over the next year and a half for the operation of the plant. Then beyond that, Entergy owns several other nuclear power plants throughout the US. The commitment is to any employee who would like to remain with the company, every effort would be made to find them employment at another nuclear power plant or at any other facility the company owns.”
Nappi says the decision to close the plant came down to economics, with the low cost of natural gas-produced electricity making it tough to compete. Many disappointed and angry reactions followed the announcement. Senator Charles Schumer in Syracuse refuses to let it go. He’ll continue to pressure Entergy and state regulators to force the plant to stay on line. Schumer uses other logic, as well, to argue for Fitzpatrick.
“We know about global warming; we know fossil fuels are devastating, and from a global warming perspective it doesn’t make sense to close nuclear plant, they’re the cleanest around. They don’t send any CO2 into the atmosphere.”
Governor Cuomo joined Schumer in calling for legal and regulatory means to keep it open. The plant employs about 600 people. Half of those would be laid off in about a year when the plant stops producing power. The other half stay on to prepare the plant to be de-commissioned, a process that can take years.
Governor Cuomo said the decision shows ‘callous disregard’ for the community and workers. Congress members John Katko and Richard Hanna in a joint statement said they were incredibly disappointed and promised to help the employees and localities any way they can. Meanwhile anti-nuclear power group Alliance for a Green Economy suggests helping the workers by taking the millions in incentives offered to keep the plant open, and put it into green energy manufacturing.
