Independent Report: "Don't Shutdown Indian Point!"

An independent report commissioned by four business groups predicts dire economic consequences for southern New York State if Indian Point Nuclear Plant is shutdown. The analysis was conducted by an energy consultant on behalf of

• the Business Council of Westchester
• the Construction Industry Council/Construction Advancement Institute of Westchester and Hudson Valley
• the County Board of Realtors, and
• the Building and Realty Institute

If Indian Point is closed, the report concludes the following would occur:

• the average annual residential electric bill in Westchester would jump to $2,500 from $1,000.
• 11,000 full- and part-time jobs could be lost in Westchester County
• the region would suffer $2.1 billion in lost wages and nearly $5.5 billion in lost economic output
• The hardest-hit jobs would be in health care, real estate, government, education and the retail sectors
• Conservation and development of renewable energy sources such as windmills will not be sufficient to offset the loss of Indian Point
• The likelihood of rolling brownouts and blackouts would be high

The report also busts another anti-nuclear myth. Anti's try to convince local residents that their property prices will rise when nuclear plants are shut down. The new report dispels that myth.

Riverkeeper and Andy Spano's office called foul and claimed Entergy influenced the report. In response to the those allegations, Marsha Gordon, president and chief executive of the Business Council, said in an e-mail message on Monday: “Entergy had absolutely no role in the development of this report. While Entergy is one of more than 1,200 members of the Business Council, they are not affiliated with the other three sponsoring organizations.”

This report reached similar conclusions to two prior reports, one by the Nuclear Energy Institute, and another by the National Academy of Science.

I hope the people of Westchester County pay attention. Andrew Spano needs a wake up call from the voters!