St. Petersburg Times: "Nuclear may prove to be the best way to go."

Here's the St. Petersburg Times on Progress Energy's plans to build a new reactor in Levy County, Florida:

The company put great care into picking the Levy County site: 3,000 undeveloped acres in a rural area, with the plant footprint taking up only 300 of those acres. The reactors would sit on higher ground and be further from the coast and tidal surge than the one at Crystal River, but they would be close enough that the two facilities could share some resources. The underlying limestone is particularly stable by state standards and the site is near the Cross Florida Barge Canal, a reliable source of water needed to cool the reactors.

Most importantly, Floridians will have many opportunities to learn more and to speak up. Permitting processes at both the state and national level should allow for plenty of public input and refinement of the plan.

So far, Progress Energy has been forthcoming with information. There is no doubt the company must act soon to prepare for the predictable growth in demand for electricity in this part of the state. Nuclear may prove to be the best way to go.

For similar thoughts from Mike Thomas of the Orlando Sentinel, click here.

Technorati tags: Nuclear Energy, Nuclear Power, Environment, Energy, Technology, Economics, New Plants, Progress Energy, Florida