Nuclear power, FPL and South Florida municipalities: coup d'etat in the works? by gimleteye

I don't use the term "coup d'etat" lightly. It is common in dictatorships for factions to seize power, one way or another. We are not used to talking about coup d'etats in representative democracies. On the other hand, we haven't seen anything nearly like what Florida Power and Light is trying to do, pulling out all the stops to obtain two new nuclear power reactors in brain-dead Homestead at Turkey Point.

FPL likely chose Turkey Point for battle precisely of its location: overcoming permitting obstacles here could pave the way for new nuclear in other parts of the nation, especially environmentally sensitive areas near federal lands. Water supply, water quality, the presence of nearby national parks where billions are being invested in restoration projects; this caliber of challenge has never been faced by the nuclear power industry.

Plus, unlike other states that reject charging rate payers for new permitting costs for nuclear, the Florida Public Service Commission obediently allowed FPL to dock its customers more than $100 million, already, for its machinations.

There are other good reasons for FPL to key Turkey Point for new nuclear: surrounding communities are so conditioned to political opportunism, they have Stockholm Syndrome. That should work well in the context of siting new power transmission lines; an effort that is going on right now and critical to the point of the new nuclear reactors that haven't been permitted yet.

So far, both local and state agencies have pushed back against the FPL plans; but it is not clear whether objections raised at this level can repel the momentum. (You can thank the unreformable majority of the county commission for giving away the key to the county to FPL, long ago. Ultimately, the decision could rest with Gov. Charlie Crist and the Cabinet.)

It is the need for new high power transmission lines to accommodate the new nuclear reactors (still not permitted) that turns out to be another obstacle: principally municipalities along the US 1 corridor. And on this subject, a reader sent us the following: "FPL seems to have targeted South Miami for takeover. First, South Miami's lobbyist, Fausto Gomez, was hired by FPL. Next, FPL hired the out-of-work daughter of city commissioner Velma Palmer to work at Turkey Point. Two weeks ago, FPL offered a job to another of our city commissioners, Brian Beasley, if he'd help calm things down for them in South Miami. Brian declined. Our city manager worked with mayor Horace Feliu behind the scenes to block resident efforts to mount political opposition to FPL's plans Last Tuesday, South Miami's city commission fired the city manager for corruption (of many sorts). Palmer was absent for the vote and Feliu dissented (loudly). Later in the week, the commission held a public meeting to plan the hiring of an interim city manager. An FPL exec came to that meeting and sat in the back of the room. The first person's name to show up on the list of candidates for interim city manager is a former FPL employee."

I don't have time to backtrack and double-check, but the reader's comments have the ring of truth. They are consistent with everything else we have learned about how the FPL permitting mission is operating. I could give FPL the benefit of the doubt; except that its recent involvement at the Public Service Commission, its insistence of keeping Florida in the lower tier of states in terms of energy policies and programs; this corporation is making enemies everywhere it turns with efforts that only seem to get heavier-handed as it becomes clearer and clearer that not even South Florida will put up with a coup d'etat.