HB 11 and SB 510 are about padding profits, not clean energy or jobs

HARRISBURG, Pa. (May 1) – Citizens Against Nuclear Bailouts — a diverse coalition of Pennsylvania citizens’ groups, power generators, and energy, business and manufacturing associations — has issued the following statement in response to a “Save Nuclear” rally held at the Capitol today.

While we can empathize with the individuals who gathered to support clean energy and jobs, the truth of the matter is that the nuclear industry is not going away in Pennsylvania, and threats of plant closures or increased energy emissions are nothing but scare tactics in an effort to manipulate lawmakers into passing unnecessary legislation to pad the profits of already wealthy nuclear corporations.

The fact is that profitable nuclear corporations are holding legislators, ratepayers and workers hostage so that their shareholders can profit. In a recent analysis conducted by a former PJM Interconnection chief economist, the three nuclear corporations operating in Pennsylvania are projected to earn profits of $3.4 billion over the next 10 years. So what is the problem they are asking ratepayers to fix?

House Bill 11 and Senate Bill 510 are not about saving jobs, providing clean energy or any of the other reasons citizens gathered on the steps of the Capitol today. These corporate cash-grabs are only about padding shareholders’ profits.

-Citizens Against Nuclear Bailouts